Welcome to the University of Cape Town News
Wamkelekile, Welkom
Wamkelekile, Welkom
UCT researcher committed to developing first human lung challenge model of its kind
University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Professor Keertan Dheda regards the Order of Mapungubwe recently bestowed on him as recognition for his commitment to developing the world’s first human lung challenge model for tuberculosis (TB) using live Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) directly in the human lung.
11 Jun 2026
Media release
UCT-led study links violence and chronic stress to elevated suicide risk
A new study led by researchers at the University of Cape Town (UCT) has examined the prevalence of suicidal thoughts and behaviours among adults attending public-sector primary healthcare facilities in Cape Town.
11 Jun 2026
Media release
UCT study reveals bodies recovered from Cape Town waters are difficult to identify
Cape Town oceans and waterways may be central to the city’s beauty, but a landmark study from the University of Cape Town (UCT) showed they can also make forensic investigations far more difficult. The findings are published in the journal Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology .
10 Jun 2026
Media release
World’s first biodiversity heat warning system predicts risks months in advance
A global team of scientists, including researchers from the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) African Climate and Development Initiative (ACDI) , has developed the world’s first early warning system capable of predicting unprecedented heat exposure for species up to nine months in advance.
10 Jun 2026
Media release
South Africa’s breast cancer care system is failing too many women – UCT study
A study by the Department of Surgery at the University of Cape Town (UCT) and Groote Schuur Hospital has revealed deep systemic inequities in breast cancer care across South Africa, including critical shortages of surgical services, specialist staff and diagnostic capacity, leaving many women without access to life-saving treatment.
10 Jun 2026
Media release
Gun violence is South Africa’s neglected public health emergency – experts
Gun violence should no longer be viewed primarily as a criminal justice issue but as a sustained public health problem requiring urgent intervention across South Africa’s health system, according to a new editorial published in the South African Medical Journal .
09 Jun 2026
Media release
Climate hazards deepen health risks across Africa – UCT study
Climate-related hazards are impacting community health and healthcare provision across the African continent, resulting in increased vulnerability and reduced capacity to withstand further impacts, a paper by the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Elzarie Theron and Dr Wayne Smith of the Division of Emergency Medicine in the Faculty of Health Sciences warns.
02 Jun 2026
Media release
UCT lecture explores how catalysis can drive a just and sustainable transition
A University of Cape Town (UCT) Inaugural Lecture by Professor Nico Fischer will examine how one of the most influential yet often overlooked areas of science could help redefine the relationship between industrial growth and environmental sustainability.
02 Jun 2026
Media release
UCT signs renewable energy agreement with Discovery Green
The University of Cape Town (UCT) has signed a groundbreaking long-term renewable electricity supply agreement with Discovery Green as part of a broader strategic partnership focused on advancing sustainable energy and skills development.
02 Jun 2026
Media release
Sightings of blue and fin whales on the rise in the South-East Atlantic
More than 40 years after the end of commercial whaling, new research led by the University of Cape Town (UCT) reveals a recent increase in sightings of the world’s two largest whale species in the southeastern Atlantic.
01 Jun 2026
Media release
Study finds surveillance technologies can marginalise local communities
A new research paper co-authored by Grant Oosterwyk of the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) School of Information Technology has argued that surveillance technologies imported from the Global North into postcolonial cities can reshape public debate, governance and understandings of safety in ways that deepen inequality and marginalise community voices. The paper will be presented at the Pacific-Asia Conference on Information Systems in Jakarta, Indonesia in July 2026.
01 Jun 2026
Media release
UCT hosts largest global safe sport gathering on African soil
More than 500 delegates from 87 countries gathered at the University of Cape Town (UCT) from 25 to 27 May 2026 for the Safe Sport 2026 conference, the most internationally representative gathering of the global safe sport movement to date.
28 May 2026
Media release
AI boom comes with hidden environmental and social costs
As artificial intelligence (AI) rapidly transforms industries and drives global innovation, a University of Cape Town (UCT) researcher, Grant Oosterwyk, warns that the growing demand for AI-driven data centres is creating significant environmental, social and political challenges that often go unnoticed amid the promise of technological progress.
26 May 2026
Media release
UCT study reveals critical gaps in early cancer diagnosis across Southern Africa
A major study led by researchers at the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Faculty of Health Sciences has revealed significant gaps in the readiness of health facilities to detect and diagnose cancer early across Southern Africa. The study highlights urgent opportunities to strengthen health systems and improve patient outcomes.
26 May 2026
Media release
UCT cardiologist receives highest national order
University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Professor Karen Sliwa-Hahnle , a world-renowned clinical cardiologist, has described the Order of Mapungubwe bestowed upon her as “meaningful recognition” of the more than two decades of outstanding work.
25 May 2026
Media release