In remembrance: Ilke Nackerdien

05 January 2021

Dear colleagues and students

We are deeply saddened as we write to convey the news that our student, Ms Ilke Nackerdien (31), passed away on 30 December 2020 at Groote Schuur Hospital due to COVID-19 related complications.

Ms Nackerdien, a Mastercard Foundation scholar, was studying towards an honours degree in historical studies in the Faculty of Humanities. She served as a mentor in the faculty and at her student residence. She was also the mentorship representative on the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Council for 2020/2021.

She is remembered for being passionate about women’s and children’s studies in Africa and had hoped to use her background in historical studies to critically analyse the problems faced by women and children to come up with effective solutions to challenges faced.

“Ilke was one of our most engaging, thoughtful and promising young scholars. I will always remember her passionate arguments in the honours seminars and cherish the long emails she would write when she was not persuaded by the discussions in class,” recalled Head of the Historical Studies Department, Dr Bodhisattva Kar.

Her lecturers remember her for her meaningful contributions, her commitment to intellectually sophisticated and socially relevant medical humanities research, and her singular focus on her work. She has been described as a respectful student who was committed to all her courses and was a great pleasure to have in class.

Ms Nackerdien leaves behind her mom Adrienne; dad Nagemoedien; two sisters, Nadia and Kim; nephew Keenan; and two nieces, Shannon and Shiloh. Her funeral will take place in Observatory, Cape Town on 9 January 2021 at 09:00.

We have reached out to the Nackerdien family to offer our support during this time of bereavement, and we once again convey our sincere condolences to them and all who knew and were close to our late student.

Sincerely

The UCT Executive

Visit the web page paying tribute to the late members of the UCT community.

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