Inaugural lecture by Professor De Jager and other updates

03 November 2025

Dear students

Professor Phillip De Jager will present his inaugural lecture as part of the University of Cape Town (UCT) Inaugural Lecture series on Tuesday, 4 November 2025. Read more about this and other recent developments on campus.

1. Inaugural lecture by Professor Phillip De Jager (Faculty of Commerce)

Professor De Jager will deliver his lecture, “The Numbers We Trust: Unintended Consequences of the Interconnectedness Between Money, Accounting, and Banking”, on Tuesday, 4 November 2025 at 17:00 SAST in the Mafeje Room, Bremner Building.

At the heart of modern finance is a question of trust. Professor De Jager’s lecture will examine how accounting conventions influence our understanding of money, solvency and risk in the banking sector. Using lessons from the global financial crisis, he will explore how regulatory frameworks such as the Basel Capital Accords and the International Financial Reporting Standard influence perceptions of financial stability. He will also ask how accurately these systems reflect economic reality and what happens when they fail to do so.

Professor De Jager is a professor in the Department of Finance and Tax at UCT, where he teaches corporate finance, investments and research methodology. He is also a visiting professor at the School of Finance at Shanghai Lixin University of Accounting and Finance. His research covers bank capital, corporate finance and what he calls “research about research”, examining how knowledge is produced and evaluated. He serves on the editorial boards of the British Accounting Review and Accounting Open and contributes to national academic policy through the Academy of Science of South Africa.

Outside academia, Professor De Jager has chaired the UCT Retirement Fund and advised the Competition Commission of South Africa on pricing conduct. His work blends analytical depth with institutional insight, urging policymakers and scholars to analyse the numbers that drive financial decisions. His lecture challenges us to reconsider how accounting relates to the real economy and to reflect on what happens when trust in those numbers erodes.

2. UCT to co-lead institute for the pandemic preparedness

UCT is proud to serve as the Interim Administrative Hub for the new Department of Science, Technology and Innovation and the National Research Foundation (DSTI-NRF) Institute for the Preparedness and Prevention of Pandemics (IP3), a national initiative approved in 2024 by the DSTI and NRF. Through this leadership role, UCT provides the institutional and administrative foundation to guide the IP3’s establishment and ensure effective national coordination of its work.

The IP3 brings together ten South African universities and partners from government, civil society and industry. Funded through an initial three-year DSTI-NRF award, the institute aims to strengthen the country’s capacity to anticipate, respond to and recover from future pandemics. Through UCT’s leadership, the IP3 is building a collaborative national platform that promotes research, innovation and knowledge-sharing to enhance resilience against future health crises.

Under the interim directorship of Professor Mary-Ann Davies, a public health medicine specialist, the university is guiding the development of the institute’s governance structures, leadership and research programmes.

Read the full DVC Desk: UCT to co-lead institute for the pandemic preparedness.

3. Appointment of DVC: Research and Internationalisation

UCT has announced the appointment of Professor Thokozani Majozi as the new Deputy Vice-Chancellor (DVC) for Research and Internationalisation, effective 1 January 2026. Professor Majozi will join UCT from Wits University, where he serves as the Executive Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment and holds a full professorship in the School of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering. From 2013 to 2022, he held the prestigious National Research Foundation – Department of Science and Technology (NRF–DST) Chair in Sustainable Process Engineering.

A leading scholar in chemical engineering, Professor Majozi has made groundbreaking contributions to sustainable process design and optimisation. His work includes the development of a continuous-time framework for batch plant synthesis, techniques for near zero-effluent batch facilities and integrated water and membrane network systems. His research has led to innovations in predictive modelling for reverse osmosis and electrodialysis membranes, bridging the gap between theory and industrial application. With more than 300 publications, several books, and a B1 NRF rating, he is recognised internationally as a thought leader in his field.

Beyond his research, Professor Majozi has played significant leadership roles across the science and engineering sectors. He has served as chairperson of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, vice-president of the Engineering Council of South Africa, and deputy chairperson of the Council for the Built Environment. He currently serves as the president and chairperson of the Academy of Science of South Africa and is a Fellow of several prestigious professional bodies.

His numerous national and international awards, including the National Order of Mapungubwe (Bronze), reflect his impact on science and society. Professor Majozi’s appointment comes at a key time as UCT advances its Vision 2030 and Strategy 2030, strengthening its global research partnerships and reaffirming its position as Africa’s leading university. He succeeds Professor Jeff Murugan, who has served as acting DVC since January 2024.

4. Another UCT star goes from Ikeys to Boks

UCT Ikey Tigers rugby star, Zachary Porthen, is likely to don the green and gold Springboks jersey for the first time this weekend against Japan in London.

After helping the FNB UCT Ikey Tigers lift our third FNB Varsity Cup trophy in April 2025 and playing a part in ending an 11-year wait, Porthen has been rewarded with a call-up to the senior national men’s rugby team for their end of year outgoing tour.

Earlier this year, Porthen made his United Rugby Championship debut with the Stormers, just a month after he won the FNB Varsity Cup with UCT. He previously made his Currie Cup debut for Western Province in 2024, and also captained the Junior Springboks at the Under-20 Rugby Championship and the World Rugby U20 Championship, also in 2024.

His inclusion in coach Rassie Erasmus’ 36-man squad came a day before he was honoured at this year’s UCT Sports Awards, where he received his full colours.

Read the full VC Desk: Another UCT star goes from Ikeys to Boks.

5. Exam support services offered by SWS

UCT’s Student Wellness Service (SWS) will continue offering a range of services during the upcoming examinations to ensure that students are adequately supported.

Exams will commence on Tuesday, 4 November 2025 and continue until Friday, 21 November 2025.

Students are reminded of the available services around deferred examinations, SWS main clinic at Ivan Toms Building, Upper Campus Clinic, counselling services, pharmacy services and alternative support services.