Announcing the UCT vaccination panel

Dear colleagues and students

I write to share an update following the communication issued last month on the UCT Council’s in-principle approval of a proposal requiring that all staff (as a condition of being able to perform their duties) and students (as a condition of registration) provide acceptable proof of having been vaccinated against COVID-19.

Council resolved at their October meeting that the university executive should proceed to establish an appropriately constituted panel, whose task would be to develop the operational details required to implement the campus access dispensation to take effect as from 1 January 2022.

The panel is also tasked with, among others, working out the principles and guidelines for exemption from a requirement to provide proof of vaccination.

The panel has now been constituted as follows:

• Dr Tracey Naledi (Chair)
• Professor Pierre de Vos (Deputy Chair)
• Advocate Barbara Mapara
• Professor Graeme Meintjes
• Mr Jacques Rousseau
• Associate Professor Jantina de Vries
• Ms Kirshni Naidoo
• Dr Memory Muturiki
• Professor Mohamed Jeebhay
• Associate Professor Shose Kessi

The union representatives serving as part of the panel are:

• Ms Andrea Plos (Employees Union)
• Mr Athabile Nonxuba (Democratised Transport Logistics and Allied Workers' Union)
• Mr Bulumko Nkume (South African Liberated Public-Sector Workers Union)
• Mr Mzomhle Bixa (University and Allied Workers' Union)
• Associate Professor Nico Fischer (Academics Union)
• Mr Xolani Poswa (National Education, Health and Allied Workers' Union)

The SRC is represented by the following members:

• Ms Siyabulela Plaatjie
• Mr Tebogo Mabusela

The panel has already begun its work. As the UCT executive, we will be required to report back to Council at its December 2021 meeting.

As we have always done during this pandemic, we continue to urge those who have not yet been vaccinated to do so, not only protect themselves but to protect those around them. Getting vaccinated is one way to help keep down the rate and the severity of COVID-19 infection.

To make it easier for members of the UCT community to access the vaccine, the UCT Community of Hope Vaccination Centre at Forest Hill Residence has been in operation for the third month now. The site is open to staff, students and the general public from 09:00 to 15:00 on Monday to Friday, and it is now operational on Saturdays from 09:00 to 13:00.

Sincerely

Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng
Vice-Chancellor

Read previous communications:

• From the UCT Executive
• Campus Announcements