Campus announcements
Distinguished Teacher Award 2020 and other updates
04 February 2021 | Campus AnnouncementDear colleagues and students
This campus announcement aims to update the UCT community about recent developments on campus.
1. Call for nominations for Distinguished Teacher Award 2020
Students and members of the academic staff are reminded to submit nominations for the Distinguished Teacher Award (DTA) for 2020. The closing date for nominations is 19 February 2021.
The DTA is the highest accolade awarded to teaching staff at all levels within the university. Through the award, the university recognises excellent teaching and acknowledges the primary place of teaching and learning in the institution’s work. Each year, the DTA committee considers nominations made by students and staff on behalf of a number of excellent teachers. The committee examines each submission in detail, in accordance with a carefully devised rubric, terms of reference and set of criteria.
2. Chair of Council’s message on facing challenges of our time together
Chair of Council, Babalwa Ngonyama, looks back at the challenges and achievements amidst the complexity and uncertainty that the university community, with all its stakeholders, experienced in 2020. She alludes to the new bullying policy, new executive appointments and various milestones and critical projects the university has undertaken in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The chair further encourages UCT to celebrate its achievements and look at 2021 as a year which must be faced with a positive and resilient attitude.
3. Update on COVID-19 cases
Please note that updates on COVID-19 cases within the university community will now be shared every second week. Updates will be included as part of the campus announcement issued immediately after the first and the 15th of every month.
As at 1 February the university has 326 reported cases of COVID-19 among non-health sciences staff members, with 262 recoveries. The number of students who have tested positive stands at 100. The university has lost 19 staff members and two students to the virus.
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UCT’s response to COVID-19
COVID-19 is a global pandemic that caused President Cyril Ramaphosa to declare a national disaster in South Africa on 15 March 2020 and to implement a national lockdown from 26 March 2020. UCT is taking the threat of infection in our university community extremely seriously, and this page will be updated with the latest COVID-19 information. Please note that the information on this page is subject to change depending on current lockdown regulations.
Minister of Health, Dr Joe Phaahla, has in June 2022 repealed some of South Africa’s remaining COVID-19 regulations: namely, sections 16A, 16B and 16C of the Regulations Relating to the Surveillance and the Control of Notifiable Medical Conditions under the National Health Act. We are now no longer required to wear masks or limit gatherings. Venue restrictions and checks for travellers coming into South Africa have now also been removed.
Read the latest document available on the UCT policies web page.
Campus communications
2022
UCT Community of Hope Vaccination Centre
On Wednesday, 20 July, staff from the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Faculty of Health Sciences came together with representatives from the Western Cape Government at the UCT Community of Hope Vaccination Centre at Forest Hill Residence to acknowledge the centre’s significance in the fight against COVID-19 and to thank its staff for their contributions. The centre opened on 1 September 2021 with the aim of providing quality vaccination services to UCT staff, students and the nearby communities, as well as to create an opportunity for medical students from the Faculty of Health Sciences to gain practical public health skills. The vaccination centre ceased operations on Friday, 29 July 2022.
With the closure of the UCT Community of Hope Vaccination Centre, if you still require access to a COVID-19 vaccination site please visit the CovidComms SA website to find an alternative.
“After almost a year of operation, the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Community of Hope Vaccination Centre, located at the Forest Hill residence complex in Mowbray, will close on Friday, 29 July 2022. I am extremely grateful and proud of all staff, students and everyone involved in this important project.”
– Vice-Chancellor Prof Mamokgethi PhakengWith the closure of the UCT Community of Hope Vaccination Centre, if you still require access to a COVID-19 vaccination site please visit the CovidComms SA website to find an alternative.
Frequently asked questions
Global Citizen Asks: Are COVID-19 Vaccines Safe & Effective?
UCT’s Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine (IDM) collaborated with Global Citizen, speaking to trusted experts to dispel vaccine misinformation.
If you have further questions about the COVID-19 vaccine check out the FAQ produced by the Desmond Tutu Health Foundation (DTHF). The DTHF has developed a dedicated chat function where you can ask your vaccine-related questions on the bottom right hand corner of the website.
IDM YouTube channel | IDM website
“As a contact university, we look forward to readjusting our undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in 2023 as the COVID-19 regulations have been repealed.”
– Prof Harsha Kathard, Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Teaching and Learning
We are continuing to monitor the situation and we will be updating the UCT community regularly – as and when there are further updates. If you are concerned or need more information, students can contact the Student Wellness Service on 021 650 5620 or 021 650 1271 (after hours), while staff can contact 021 650 5685.