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.
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COVID-19 is a global pandemic that caused President Cyril Ramaphosa to declare a national disaster in South Africa on 15 March and implement a national lockdown from 26 March.
UCT is taking the threat of infection in our university community extremely seriously, and this page will be updated regularly with the latest COVID-19 information.
Getting credible, evidence-based, accessible information and recommendations relating to COVID-19
The Department of Medicine at the University of Cape Town and Groote Schuur Hospital, are producing educational video material for use on digital platforms and in multiple languages. The information contained in these videos is authenticated and endorsed by the team of experts based in the Department of Medicine. Many of the recommendations are based on current best evidence and are aligned to provincial, national and international guidelines. For more information on UCT’s Department of Medicine, please visit the website.
To watch more videos like these, visit the Department of Medicine’s YouTube channel.
As the COVID-19 crisis drags on and evolves, civil society groups are responding to growing and diversifying needs – just when access to resources is becoming more insecure, writes UCT’s Prof Ralph Hamann.
03 Jul 2020 - 6 min read RepublishedThe Covid-19 crisis has reinforced the global consequences of fragmented, inadequate and inequitable healthcare systems and the damage caused by hesitant and poorly communicated responses.
24 Jun 2020 - >10 min read OpinionOur scientists must not practise in isolation, but be encouraged to be creative and increase our knowledge of the needs of developing economies, write Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng, vice-chancellor of UCT, and Professor Thokozani Majozi from the University of the Witwatersrand.
09 Jun 2020 - 6 min read RepublishedSouth Africa has been recognised globally for its success in flattening the curve, which came as a result of President Ramaphosa responding quickly to the crisis, writes Prof Alan Hirsch.
28 Apr 2020 - 6 min read RepublishedUCT's Professor Robin Wood supports South Africa's COVID-19 lockdown programme but calls for more testing.
09 Apr 2020 - >10 min read RepublishedIn an email to the UCT community, Vice-Chancellor Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng said:
“COVID-19, caused by the virus SARS-CoV-2, is a rapidly changing epidemic. [...] Information [...] will be updated as and when new information becomes available.”
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.