Virtual Womxn’s Day celebration and other updates

Dear colleagues and students

The annual Womxn’s Day celebration event will be held virtually this month, while the vaccination programme in the Post-School Education and Training (PSET) sector has been extended until 6 August. Read more on these and and other updates below.

1. Virtual Womxn’s Day celebration event

The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng, will host a virtual Womxn’s Day celebration event on 10 August at 13:00, under the theme ‘Social responsiveness and internationalisation’.

Recipients of the #ForWomxnByWomxn research grants will share updates on their exciting research projects. These range from contraception and HIV risk of womxn in sub-Saharan Africa, building capacity in the field of oceanography for black South African womxn, and transforming the field of palaeoanthropology. Some of their students will share the work they have been doing during the lockdown to advance social responsiveness and internationalisation.

Miss South Africa 2020, Shudufhadzo Musida, will deliver the keynote address. Musida, an advocate for mental health awareness and the empowerment of womxn and children, recently graduated with an honours degree in international relations from Wits University.

• Register for the event.
• Read the VC Desk: Virtual Womxn’s Day celebration event.

2. Extension of the PSET vaccination programme

The National Department of Health and the Inter-Ministerial Committee on vaccines have agreed to extend the Post-School Education and Training (PSET) priority vaccination programme by a further week. All eligible staff members who have not yet been vaccinated are urged to go to their nearest vaccination site anytime from 08:00 to 17:00, weekdays until 6 August 2021.

UCT staff members (35 years and over) can also receive their vaccine at the dedicated Pinelands Emergency Medical Services (EMS) site in Alexandra Road.

Prior to visiting any vaccination site, staff members are encouraged to register on the EVDS system. Registered staff can proceed to the nearest vaccination site, taking along with the following documents:

• South African identification card/South African residents permit/passport if a foreign national
• proof of employment (staff identity, staff card or a letter from the head of department)
• medical aid details (if applicable).

3. Update on UCT’s COVID-19 cases

As at 1 August 2021, the university has 500 reported cases of COVID-19 among non-health sciences staff members, with 429 recoveries. The number of students who have tested positive stands at 193, with 181 recoveries. The university has lost 22 staff members and three students to the virus.

Getting as many people vaccinated as possible is scientifically proven to reduce the risk of infection and the severity of the illness if one does get infected. It can also be a way of helping to protect others. Staff and students who have not yet done so and are eligible are urged to please register to receive their vaccination.

The university continues to make progress with the Western Cape Department of Health to set up a community vaccination site at the Forest Hill residence complex. The site will in due course be open to all eligible UCT staff, students and members of the public.

4. UCT appoints new Executive Director: Finance

Mr Vincent Mohau Motholo has been appointed as the new Executive Director: Finance for UCT. He will take up the position on 1 October 2021. He is a qualified chartered accountant and registered auditor with experience in the South African higher education environment.

• Read the VC Desk: Appointment of Executive Director: Finance.

5. Briefing session: socially responsive course development grants

An optional online briefing session will be held on Wednesday, 11 August from 12:30 to 14:00, where the criteria for selection of successful applications for the socially responsive teaching and learning course development grants 2021 will be discussed. It is highly recommended that prospective grantees attend this session.

As a university, UCT is finding ways to use teaching and research to engage with society, albeit in different ways where needed. Four grants of R10 000 each are available to develop, design or revise a course that meets the criteria. For purposes of this grant, these courses need to be a part of the formal curriculum.

• Join the MS Teams meeting.
• Read the DVC Desk: Socially responsive course development grants 2021.

6. UCT Health App – What students and staff members need to do to access campus

UCT is required to control access to campus in compliance with COVID-19 regulations. The university has recently refined the protocols students and staff members must follow to come onto UCT property. The refined protocols have been included in the latest version of the UCT Health App.

• If you have not previously completed a Vulnerability Assessment, the UCT Health App will now activate that process for you to complete as a one-time event. Please ensure you complete the Vulnerability Assessment accurately.
• If you have no comorbidities and are rated as a low risk, you will be automatically cleared. You will be notified accordingly and provided with access to the Daily Health Screening component of the UCT Health app.
• If your responses to the assessment yield a different result, you will be advised to contact either the Occupational Health and Safety office (for staff members) or Student Wellness Services (for students) to discuss the result of the Vulnerability Assessment.
• The data from the Redcap Health Risk Assessment system has been absorbed into the UCT Health App and therefore if you previously completed the Redcap Health Risk Assessment, you will not be required to complete the Vulnerability Assessment. This applies primarily to staff and postgraduate students (the Redcap Health Risk Assessment system has been decommissioned as of 30 July 2021).
• 13 August 2021 has been earmarked for cutting over to a regulated Daily Health Screening process on the UCT Health app. (Previously the Daily Health Screening app was open to all staff and students.)
• Undergraduate students who have been invited for safe return to campus will be automatically notified to perform their online Vulnerability Risk Assessments to be eligible to perform their Daily Health Screening on the UCT Health app for each day that they need to be on campus.

Please complete the online COVID-19 induction training. This induction training needs to be completed for each year of attendance by UCT students and staff members.

• Complete the UCT 2021 COVID-19 Induction.

7. The UCT Health App is now available for contractors and visitors

Entry to the UCT campus is restricted under COVID-19 regulations and therefore visitors and contractors will no longer have open access to campus. Staff members are required to extend invitations, via the visitors/contractors link on the UCT Health app, to visitors and contractors for any purpose including deliveries, meetings or rendering of services.

Visitors will be required to respond to the same set of daily health screening questions as the UCT community. Personal information will not be distributed to any parties in compliance with POPIA. Each invited visitor will receive an email to conduct their online Daily Screening questionnaire and, once that is completed, a link to the result.

For bulk visitors/contractors who will be entering the campus, a link will be provided to an Excel template that caters for the bulk loading of contractors or staff, such as those operating on a construction or maintenance project. Letters of Authority will no longer be required for visitors and contractors, as the Health App Visitor Screening result will be accepted by security officers at the various checkpoints controlling access onto campus.

• To send an invitation link to a visitor or contractor, visit the UCT Daily Health Screening page and select the option to Invite Visitor/Contractor to Campus.
• To send an invitation link for bulk visitors or contractors, download the Visitor Bulk Upload Template.
• For additional information or support, contact Brent Proctor or send an email to Properties and Services.

Please continue to make it part of your daily routine to reach out to your colleagues, your friends and your family, even if you can only do so remotely. Building a sense of connection and community is an important part of fighting the effects of the pandemic on our lives.

Communication and Marketing Department

Read previous communications:

• From the UCT Executive
• Campus Announcements