UCT online store and other updates

Dear colleagues and students

The university is still salvaging items from the Jagger library and while still saddened by this loss, UCT also looks to the future and will this Africa Month host an online youth-centred symposium to celebrate Africa Day. In other developments, the university has made it easier to purchase its merchandise online through a pilot-project partnership with online retailer Takealot.com. Read more on these and other updates in this week’s campus announcement.

1. UCT online store

UCT has officially launched its online store via a pilot-project partnership on the Takealot.com website. You can now easily purchase your official UCT merchandise such as hoodies and T-shirts online. New items will be made available soon, so please follow the UCT social media accounts for the latest updates.

• Visit the online store.

2. Africa Day public symposium 2021

UCT, in collaboration with the African Union’s African Peer Review Mechanism and the Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance, will host a youth-centred public symposium on 24 May 2021 from 10:00 to 13:00 SAST on Zoom.

Under the theme, “Youth development and participation on the African continent amidst the COVID-19 pandemic”, this symposium will mark the annual Africa Day celebrated on 25 May. The symposium takes place against the backdrop of the African Union theme, “Arts, Culture and Heritage: Levers for Building the Africa we Want”, the 15th anniversary of the African Youth Charter, and UCT’s Vision 2030 of “Unleashing human potential for a fair and just society”.

• Read the VC Desk: Africa Day public symposium 2021.
• Please register online to attend the virtual public symposium.

3. International Nurses Day: Honouring exceptional people

The theme for International Nurses Day this year is “Nurses: A Voice to Lead – A Vision for Future Healthcare”. The theme reflects on the impact of COVID-19 on the health system and the nursing profession and provides a reflection point on the changes and innovations required to shape the future of health systems. In South Africa, more than 400 000 nurses have played a critical role in keeping the health system functioning and providing dignified care under extreme circumstances during the pandemic. The university leadership salutes these exceptional human beings who have been unwavering in providing critical care and healing, who have chosen to serve and recommitted themselves to a difficult and dangerous profession every single day during this pandemic.

• Read the message from the Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences: International Nurses Day - Honouring exceptional people.

4. Forest precinct to remain closed

The university’s Gardens & Grounds team has commenced with a review of the vegetation that was affected by the recent fire on campus. Professional arborists have been appointed to commence with emergency arboricultural work to remove and fell trees in the forest that pose an immediate risk.

It is therefore critical that the entire forest precinct down to Madiba Circle remains closed to the campus community until all the dead and dying trees are removed. This process will take some time.

The Gardens & Grounds team asks that staff, students and the wider community please refrain from partaking in any activities in the area during this period, including hiking, running or cycling.

5. Update on restoring UCT property

As of 30 April 2021, about 50% of the materials in the Jagger Library archives had been salvaged, with the help of as many as 150 volunteers daily. Salvaging the archive material is only the first phase of the recovery plan. The second phase is the conservation process. Because of the high volume of materials that need to be conserved, the process is expected to take some time.

• Read the VC Desk: Update on restoring UCT property.

6. UCT Whistle-blowing Hotline update

The UCT Whistle-blowing hotline provides staff, students and third parties an opportunity to alert the university management about matters which may not have been picked up through regular internal controls. The hotline is managed by an external service provider, Whistle Blowers (Pty) Ltd, which offers “a multi-channel ethics hotline service to organisations of all sizes in both the public and private sectors”. During 2020, UCT’s whistleblowing hotline received a total of 22 unique reports, including allegations of unethical conduct and fraud.

• Read the Registrar’s Notice: UCT Whistle-blowing Hotline update.

Communication and Marketing Department

Read previous communications:

• From the UCT Executive
• Campus Announcements