Epilepsy is a disability and not a chronic disease, the Western Cape High Court ruled in ordering Stellenbosch University to reconsider its exclusion of a student who failed to complete his degree in the maximum allowed time.
Netwerk24 reports that Wimpie Greyvenstein (27), a former student in engineering, launched an application to be reconsidered after his academic exclusion from the programme in mechatronic engineering. He had failed to meet minimum academic standards for six years.
Greyvenstein argued that the university did not treat him as a student with disabilities as it held the view that epilepsy was a chronic disease. The fact that he suffers from epilepsy affects his concentration and memory. The university said it had bent over backwards for Greyvenstein as a “special student” and made an exception for him last year to complete his studies, which he was unable to do.
Judge Elizabeth Baartman set aside the university council’s decision to academically exclude Greyvenstein and ordered the council to reconsider Greyvenstein’s situation.
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