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Where to next? UCT professor to reflect on the future of Jewish life in South Africa Historians often hesitate to predict the future. Yet moments of profound change invite reflection on what lies ahead. Drawing on decades of data collected by the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Kaplan Centre for Jewish Studies , Professor Adam Mendelsohn will, during his upcoming inaugural lecture, examine demographic, religious and political developments shaping Jewish life in South Africa today. 21 Apr 2026 Media release

Study points to music as support for maternal mental health Culturally grounded, community-based music-making can be adapted to support South African women struggling with mental health issues during pregnancy and after birth. This is according to a recent formative study co-authored by Associate Professor Simone Honikman , director of the Perinatal Mental Health Project (PMHP) at the University of Cape Town, together with local and international colleagues. 21 Apr 2026 Media release

More than 40% Capetonians face high air pollution risk – UCT study A study at the University of Cape Town (UCT) has produced the first high-resolution map of air pollution risk across the Cape Town metropolitan area, revealing that more than 40% of the city’s population is exposed to high or very high levels of air pollution. The findings are published in GeoHealth journal . 20 Apr 2026 Media release

UCT commemorates fifth anniversary of Jagger fire The University of Cape Town (UCT) will commemorate the fifth anniversary of a devastating fire that impacted the Jagger Libraries and several other campus buildings on 18 April 2021. 20 Apr 2026 Media release

UCT achieves 96% pass rate in accounting to secure top national rankings The University of Cape Town (UCT) has delivered a standout performance in the January 2026 Initial Assessment of Competence (IAC), with a 96% pass rate among first-time candidates and a strong showing on the national honours list. 20 Apr 2026 Media release

Healthcare practitioners must understand the needs of the people they serve – UCT lecture Amplifying the voices of people living on the margins of society is an ethical imperative for healthcare scholars. It helps them to understand the needs of the people they serve to improve their quality of life, said University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Professor Lionel Green-Thompson, dean of UCT’s Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) , during his recent inaugural lecture. 16 Apr 2026 Media release

UCT study reveals illicit cigarettes dominate South Africa’s market A study by researchers at the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Research Unit on the Economics of Excisable Products (REEP) has revealed that illicit cigarettes constitute more than half of the South African market. The research, published in Tobacco Control , warns that this crisis poses a severe threat to both public health and government tax revenue. 16 Apr 2026 Media release

UCT researchers part of major global effort to fight fungal infections Researchers at the University of Cape Town (UCT) are playing a key role in a major international collaboration that has been awarded £4.5 million (approximately R100 million) to advance understanding of fungal diseases that claim around 2.5 million lives each year. 09 Apr 2026 Media release

UCT professor calls for clearer legal principles to guide global tax reform In the face of uncertainty and rapid societal transformation driven by new technologies, University of Cape Town (UCT) Professor Johann Hattingh , in his recent inaugural lecture, called for clarity on guiding principles for law reform and for the development of legal theory to invigorate discussions on reforming the international tax regime. 31 Mar 2026 Media release

UCT co-led report paints a dull picture of stillbirths in Africa, calls for improvement Stillbirth is Africa’s silent epidemic and one of the clearest indicators of health system failure. Every 30 seconds, a baby is stillborn on the continent. 30 Mar 2026 Media response

Chronic pain linked to disability in South Africa – UCT study shows A study out of the University of Cape Town (UCT) has found that chronic pain is both common and closely linked to disability, highlighting an urgent public health issue that has long lacked local data. The study, published in PAIN Reports , analysed more than 10 000 adults and provides the clearest picture to date of how ongoing pain affects daily life and functioning in the country. 26 Mar 2026 Media release

UCT study challenges assumptions about Cape Town's iconic sites A University of Cape Town (UCT) study has found that local and international visitors have significantly different perceptions when visiting World Heritage Sites (WHS). 26 Mar 2026 Media release

UCT to confer honorary doctorates on Sooliman and Werner The University of Cape Town (UCT) will confer honorary doctorates on Dr Imtiaz Ismail Sooliman and Mr Cornelius George Werner at its upcoming autumn graduation ceremonies from 28 March to 2 April 2026. 26 Mar 2026 Media release

UCT to lead Africa's first higher education dedicated AI compute initiative The University of Cape Town’s African Compute Initiative (ACI) will establish Africa's largest graphics processing unit (GPU)-intensive compute cluster dedicated to Artificial Intelligence (AI) research in a higher education institution. The initiative is part of the AI for Development (AI4D) programme , a £58 million co-funded partnership between the United Kingdom (UK) government’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and Canada's International Development Research Centre (IDRC). It will give African researchers and innovators access to the computing infrastructure needed to develop, train and test AI systems locally – an area where the continent has faced persistent and growing constraints. 26 Mar 2026 Media release

UCT study finds Uber and Airbnb centralise power, deepen inequality A University of Cape Town (UCT) study on the workings of the platform economy – with companies like Uber, Airbnb and other digital platforms as part of a larger shift in capitalism itself – has found that these platforms don’t just connect buyers and sellers; they reshape how work is organised, how value is created and who holds power in the economy. 25 Mar 2026 Media release

Skin-lightening products linked to serious health risks and social pressures A doctoral study from the University of Cape Town (UCT) has shed light on the motivations, risks and social pressures behind the use of skin-lightening products in South Africa. 25 Mar 2026 Media release

UCT collaborates on Africa-wide biodiversity genomics initiative The University of Cape Town (UCT) is playing a vital collaborative role in the African BioGenome Project (AfricaBP), a Pan-African initiative aligned with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF). Through this partnership, UCT researchers are supporting large-scale genomic and bioinformatics efforts across the continent, helping to mitigate biodiversity loss while promoting equitable sharing of benefits derived from genetic resources. 23 Mar 2026 Media release

Early mental health support urgently needed among young adolescents in schools – UCT study Research from the University of Cape Town (UCT) has found a concerning prevalence of depression and anxiety symptoms among young adolescents in the Western Cape, highlighting the need for earlier mental health support in South African schools. 19 Mar 2026 Media release

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