Catering staff protest and other updates

Dear students and colleagues

This campus announcement aims to inform members of the University of Cape Town community:

1. Update on the catering staff protest

As communicated in yesterday's Campus Announcement, catering in residences was suspended on Tuesday, 9 May, and meal vouchers were issued to affected students as kitchen staff had left their posts. Yesterday, 10 May, the executive responded to the catering staff members' memorandum.

• Read the executive's first response...

The executive's response requested that catering staff report as usual for their shifts as from this morning, and subsequently agreed to a further meeting on Friday, 12 May.

• Read the executive's further response...

This morning, 11 May, not enough catering staff arrived at the dining halls to serve breakfast, resulting in meal vouchers again being issued to students.

The UCT executive is committed to finding a solution to the workers' concerns. Many issues have already been resolved and numerous meetings have been held over several months seeking to resolve these. Engagement will continue in an attempt to address even more matters that may be of concern, within legal and institutional processes.

2. Memorial service tomorrow for Olivia Barron

The Postgraduate Centre and Funding Office is holding a memorial service tomorrow, Friday, 12 May, from 12:45-14:00, in Smuts Hall Residence, Upper Campus. The service will honour Ms Olivia Barron, who died on Thursday, 4 May. The funeral service will be held on Saturday, 13 May, at 09:00 at the Church of Nazarene, on the corner of Lullaby & Beethoven Streets, Steenberg.

• Download directions from Cape Town international airport...
• Download directions from Woolsack Drive...

3. VC's investigation into death of Mr Mosimanegape Boyz Madiba

Mr Mosimanegape Boyz Madiba, a first-year student from Alberton, tragically drowned during a swimming exercise with the UCT rowing club on Saturday, 10 March 2016, at the Misverstand Dam. At the conclusion of the recent inquest, the magistrate concluded that no one could be held accountable for the death. Since the conclusion of the inquest, the Vice-Chancellor, Dr Max Price, has called for a report on the circumstances of the death. The intention of the report is to come to a deeper understanding of all the circumstances related to the tragedy. The Vice-Chancellor has asked that the details of the inquest, the SA Police Service investigations and various statements, as well as all available evidence, be considered within the report as well.

Communication and Marketing Department

Read previous communications:

• From the UCT Executive
• Campus Announcements