From the VC’s Desk
March 2022 graduation celebration
08 March 2022 | VC Prof Mamokgethi Phakeng
Dear colleagues and students
I am very pleased to convey my warm congratulations to this year’s March graduands on achieving their academic goals. Getting to the graduation finish line is an accomplishment to be proud of and must be celebrated. Graduation is one of the highlights in our academic calendar, a time when we not only rejoice but acknowledge the tenacity, determination and extraordinary effort it took to achieve this remarkable milestone.
While the COVID-19 regulations are currently not as tight as they were in the past two years, we must continue to observe the health protocols such as practicing social distancing, wearing masks and sanitising our hands to protect ourselves and those around us.
In recognising the need to still adhere to COVID-19 protocols while at the same time needing to create space to celebrate graduation, the upcoming March graduation period will include an in person walk of celebration. This is an opportunity for each graduand to mark their achievement and celebrate their success together with their families. The events will take place outside Sarah Baartman Hall.
As part of the proceedings, each graduand will have their name read out and will walk across the platform to be hooded and congratulated by myself and the university leadership.
All ceremonies will also be live-streamed so guests who are unable to attend in person will be able to watch proceedings on the UCT News website (accessible from the UCT graduation web page) or via the university’s social media platforms, Facebook, and Twitter. Recordings of the ceremonies will be made available at a later stage on the UCT YouTube channel.
Important details regarding graduation have been sent to each graduand’s MyUCT email address.
The graduation celebrations will take place as follows:
| Commerce including the Graduate School of Business (students with surnames A-L) |
Monday, 28 March | 10:00 to 12:00 |
| Commerce including the Graduate School of Business (students with surnames M-Z) |
Monday, 28 March | 14:00 to 16:00 |
| Engineering & the Built Environment | Tuesday, 29 March | 10:00 to 12:00 |
| Health Sciences | Tuesday, 29 March | 14:00 to 16:00 |
| Humanities (students with surnames A-L) |
Wednesday, 30 March | 10:00 to 12:00 |
| Humanities (students with surnames M-Z) |
Wednesday, 30 March | 14:00 to 16:00 |
| Law | Thursday, 31 March | 10:00 to 11:00 |
| Science | Thursday, 31 March | 13:00 to 15:00 |
To all those graduating, I am positive that great things await you. Veels geluk, siyavuyisana nani, masego ke ao and congratulations on your achievement. We look forward to celebrating with you.
Sincerely
Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng
Vice-Chancellor
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UCT’s response to COVID-19
COVID-19 is a global pandemic that caused President Cyril Ramaphosa to declare a national disaster in South Africa on 15 March 2020 and to implement a national lockdown from 26 March 2020. UCT is taking the threat of infection in our university community extremely seriously, and this page will be updated with the latest COVID-19 information. Please note that the information on this page is subject to change depending on current lockdown regulations.
Minister of Health, Dr Joe Phaahla, has in June 2022 repealed some of South Africa’s remaining COVID-19 regulations: namely, sections 16A, 16B and 16C of the Regulations Relating to the Surveillance and the Control of Notifiable Medical Conditions under the National Health Act. We are now no longer required to wear masks or limit gatherings. Venue restrictions and checks for travellers coming into South Africa have now also been removed.
Read the latest document available on the UCT policies web page.
Campus communications
2022
UCT Community of Hope Vaccination Centre
On Wednesday, 20 July, staff from the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Faculty of Health Sciences came together with representatives from the Western Cape Government at the UCT Community of Hope Vaccination Centre at Forest Hill Residence to acknowledge the centre’s significance in the fight against COVID-19 and to thank its staff for their contributions. The centre opened on 1 September 2021 with the aim of providing quality vaccination services to UCT staff, students and the nearby communities, as well as to create an opportunity for medical students from the Faculty of Health Sciences to gain practical public health skills. The vaccination centre ceased operations on Friday, 29 July 2022.
With the closure of the UCT Community of Hope Vaccination Centre, if you still require access to a COVID-19 vaccination site please visit the CovidComms SA website to find an alternative.
“After almost a year of operation, the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Community of Hope Vaccination Centre, located at the Forest Hill residence complex in Mowbray, will close on Friday, 29 July 2022. I am extremely grateful and proud of all staff, students and everyone involved in this important project.”
– Vice-Chancellor Prof Mamokgethi PhakengWith the closure of the UCT Community of Hope Vaccination Centre, if you still require access to a COVID-19 vaccination site please visit the CovidComms SA website to find an alternative.
Frequently asked questions
Global Citizen Asks: Are COVID-19 Vaccines Safe & Effective?
UCT’s Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine (IDM) collaborated with Global Citizen, speaking to trusted experts to dispel vaccine misinformation.
If you have further questions about the COVID-19 vaccine check out the FAQ produced by the Desmond Tutu Health Foundation (DTHF). The DTHF has developed a dedicated chat function where you can ask your vaccine-related questions on the bottom right hand corner of the website.
IDM YouTube channel | IDM website
“As a contact university, we look forward to readjusting our undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in 2023 as the COVID-19 regulations have been repealed.”
– Prof Harsha Kathard, Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Teaching and Learning
We are continuing to monitor the situation and we will be updating the UCT community regularly – as and when there are further updates. If you are concerned or need more information, students can contact the Student Wellness Service on 021 650 5620 or 021 650 1271 (after hours), while staff can contact 021 650 5685.