Students’ access survey and other updates

26 August 2020 | Campus Announcement

Dear students

This campus announcement aims to inform the UCT community about recent developments on campus.

1. SAULM survey reminder

UCT students are encouraged to share their educational experiences by taking part in the national Students’ Access to and Use of Learning Materials (SAULM) survey before 31 August 2020. Students who partake in the survey stand a chance to enter a lucky draw that will offer 200 participants virtual Checkers vouchers worth R200 each (also redeemable at Shoprite or USave stores).

2. UCT’s COVID-19 cases update

Since the last update, UCT now has 92 reported COVID-19 cases among non-health sciences staff members as at 25 August. The number of staff recoveries has increased to 76. The university has 35 reported student cases, including 10 Faculty of Health Sciences students on clinical platforms. Ten members of the UCT community – nine staff and one student – have sadly lost their lives during this period.

3. Taking a stance against SGBV and remembering Uyinene

High levels of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) remain a great concern in the country, a challenge that has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. UCT remains committed to dealing with SGBV cases through a zero-tolerance approach to all forms of sexual violence and/or sexual harassment. This Women’s Month, the UCT community remembers our late student, Uyinene Mrwetyana, whose life was brutally taken away on 24 August 2019. The university executive will keep on improving services and the response to this scourge through improved SGBV management and awareness.

4. SRC and Student Faculty Council elections commence online

The UCT Election Commission has announced that Student Representative Council (SRC) and Student Faculty Council elections are under way and will be conducted entirely online. Nominations opened on Monday, 24 August and will close on 9 September for the SRC and 11 September for Student Faculty Councils.