Dear students
This campus announcement aims to inform the UCT community about recent developments on campus.
1. VC’s Open Lecture: Amina J Mohammed
The Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN) and Chair of the UN Sustainable Development Group, Her Excellency Amina J Mohammed, will be the keynote speaker of the third Vice-Chancellor’s Open Lecture in 2020. The virtual lecture, titled: “Decade of action for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): So what?” will take place on Wednesday, 14 October 2020 at 18:30 SAST.
2. SRC elections period
The Students’ Representative Council (SRC) election period began on Monday, 5 October and runs until 16 October 2020. There are multiple online election events taking place throughout this period. SRC candidate manifestos, leadership CVs and one-minute campaign videos can be viewed on the SRC and Faculty Council’s elections Vula tab. Questions can also be posed on this platform for candidates throughout the election period. All registered undergraduate and postgraduate students are eligible to vote online on the eBallot platform from 12 to 16 October using their UCT credentials to log in and cast their vote.
3. Update on COVID-19 cases
UCT has not had any new reported COVID-19 cases since the last weekly update. As at 6 October, 101 cases had been reported among non-health sciences staff, with 90 recoveries. The reported students’ cases remain at 36, including 10 health sciences students on clinical platforms. Nine staff and one student have been sadly lost to the pandemic.
4. UCT Conference Management Centre
With the advent of COVID-19, it has become frustrating to navigate the 'new normal' of conferences, virtual events and hybrid models, but with the UCT Conference Management Centre (CMC), it's easier than you think! The CMC offers a total event management solution with specialist services in all areas – from accommodation and registration to the latest technology solutions and design.
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COVID-19 is a global pandemic that caused President Cyril Ramaphosa to declare a national disaster in South Africa on 15 March and implement a national lockdown from 26 March.
UCT is taking the threat of infection in our university community extremely seriously, and this page will be updated regularly with the latest COVID-19 information.
Getting credible, evidence-based, accessible information and recommendations relating to COVID-19
The Department of Medicine at the University of Cape Town and Groote Schuur Hospital, are producing educational video material for use on digital platforms and in multiple languages. The information contained in these videos is authenticated and endorsed by the team of experts based in the Department of Medicine. Many of the recommendations are based on current best evidence and are aligned to provincial, national and international guidelines. For more information on UCT’s Department of Medicine, please visit the website.
To watch more videos like these, visit the Department of Medicine’s YouTube channel.
As the COVID-19 crisis drags on and evolves, civil society groups are responding to growing and diversifying needs – just when access to resources is becoming more insecure, writes UCT’s Prof Ralph Hamann.
03 Jul 2020 - 6 min read RepublishedThe Covid-19 crisis has reinforced the global consequences of fragmented, inadequate and inequitable healthcare systems and the damage caused by hesitant and poorly communicated responses.
24 Jun 2020 - >10 min read OpinionOur scientists must not practise in isolation, but be encouraged to be creative and increase our knowledge of the needs of developing economies, write Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng, vice-chancellor of UCT, and Professor Thokozani Majozi from the University of the Witwatersrand.
09 Jun 2020 - 6 min read RepublishedSouth Africa has been recognised globally for its success in flattening the curve, which came as a result of President Ramaphosa responding quickly to the crisis, writes Prof Alan Hirsch.
28 Apr 2020 - 6 min read RepublishedUCT's Professor Robin Wood supports South Africa's COVID-19 lockdown programme but calls for more testing.
09 Apr 2020 - >10 min read RepublishedIn an email to the UCT community, Vice-Chancellor Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng said:
“COVID-19, caused by the virus SARS-CoV-2, is a rapidly changing epidemic. [...] Information [...] will be updated as and when new information becomes available.”
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.