UCT Chair of Council, Norman Arendse reflects on the legacy of 1976

Fifty years after the June 16 Soweto Uprising, Dr Russell Ally reflects on arriving at UCT in 1977, carrying the aftermath of a country in political upheaval.

As 2026 marks fifty years since the June 16 Soweto Uprising, UCT Chair of Council Norman Arendse SC reflects on how political consciousness was shaped long before the events of 1976 reached national attention.

As South Africa marks 50 years since the Soweto Uprising, UCT reflects on the enduring legacy of a generation that challenged injustice and changed the course of the nation’s history.

The Inter-University Institute for Data Intensive Astronomy (IDIA) celebrated a decade of transforming MeerKAT telescope data into world-leading scientific discoveries, while advancing South Africa's capabilities in astronomy, data science, artificial intelligence and high-performance computing.

As South Africa marks 50 years since the 16 June 1976 Soweto Uprising, UCT reflects on the enduring legacy of student activism and its role in shaping transformation, justice and belonging in higher education.

The fourth Collective Conversation: Science for Society series, brought together experts in urban planning, environmental governance and food systems to examine how land-use decisions shape justice, ecological sustainability and climate resilience in South African cities.

Rise ’76: The Story of June 16th reimagines the events of June 16 through historical fiction, testimony and archival memory.

Marking a decade since the 2016 Shackville protests, UCT’s Faculty of Humanities launched a Digital Humanities programme featuring augmented and virtual reality installations that revisit the protest site and reflect on questions of space, belonging and institutional transformation.

Commemorating the fifth anniversary of the Jagger Library fire, UCT Libraries launched an exhibition that brings together salvaged materials, research and new ideas to reflect on how knowledge can be preserved and shared more equitably.

George Werner reflects on a life dedicated to teaching, curiosity, and preserving musical knowledge for future generations.

Humanitarian Dr Imtiaz Sooliman reflects on a life of unwavering service, sacrifice, and purpose, and the extraordinary journey of founding one of the world’s most impactful disaster response organisations.

UCT graduates design a shoe that grows with children – easing financial pressure on families across South Africa.