UCT Fund Inc. to resume activities

Dear colleagues and students

The review requested by the UCT Fund Inc., as indicated in the VC Desk of 20 May 2025, has been completed via a formal investigation by independent consultants.

You would recall that UCT Fund, a registered non-profit organisation in the US which supports our fundraising and donor engagement efforts, made the request after a group of alumni raised concerns around the hosting of speakers, particularly related to the 2024 and 2025 Israel Apartheid Week (IAW) events.

In light of the concerns raised, the fund had temporarily suspended certain activities, from 14 May 2025, as a precautionary measure pending further assessment, including the outcome of the investigation.

The report by the independent consultants concluded that UCT “operated within its established legal and institutional frameworks during the Israel Apartheid Week (IAW) events of 2024 and 2025” and that there was “no evidence of policy breaches, support for proscribed organisations, or unauthorised campus activities”.

The investigation report also highlighted some unfortunate events of confrontation during the IAW event hosted in 2024, but it acknowledged that due to tighter precautionary measures and controls that the university put in place, the 2025 IAW event proceeded peacefully and without incident.

I therefore write to share that the UCT Fund Inc. Board has concluded its assessment, including its review of the report and the investigation outcomes and advice of counsel, and resolved to resume the fund’s activities with effect from 15 July 2025. This is welcome news for UCT and our broader community, as it allows the fund to return to its core mission of fundraising and stakeholder engagement in the US to support our students, staff and institutional priorities.

I wish to thank the university community for your patience, and our global network of volunteers, donors and ambassadors, including, in particular, the UCT Fund Inc. Board, who supported us in navigating this delicate moment.

We reaffirm UCT’s ongoing commitment to inclusive engagement, institutional transparency and academic freedom while remaining mindful of the broader contexts of our global partnerships and operations.

Sincerely

Professor Mosa Moshabela
Vice-Chancellor

Read previous communications:

• From the UCT Executive
• Campus Announcements