The University of Cape Town (UCT) Council has approved, in-principle, a proposal requiring that all staff and students provide acceptable proof of having been vaccinated against Covid-19.

The UCT Senate voted in favor of mandatory vaccination at their last meeting, in September, with 83% of respondents indicating support for the proposal.

The proposal will take effect from January 1, 2022 and will ask staff to vaccinate as a condition of being able to perform their duties and students to vaccinate as a condition of registration.

UCT staff and students were engaged on the matter through a survey which received support for mandatory vaccination.

UCT Vice-Chancellor Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng said that the university executive would establish an appropriately constituted panel to develop the operational details required to implement the proposal.

The UCT Senate voted in favor of mandatory vaccination at their last meeting in September with 83% of respondents in the ballot indicating support.

The UCT executive will report back to Council at its December 2021.

“UCT continues to encourage those who have not yet been vaccinated to do so as that will help keep down the rate and the severity of Covid-19 infection,” said Phakeng.