Israel: UCT has to do better
19 December 2023
The University of Cape Town (UCT) wishes to address a number of claims in the article titled “Israel: UCT has to do better” (18 December 2023). The university has, in response to his letter, engaged Mr Trevor Norwitz and responded to some of the issues he raised.
One of the most alarming claims by Mr Norwitz, made without any substantiation, is that other alumni he had engaged with had referred to UCT as “an institution that they said had become so hopelessly biased against Israel and even anti-Semitic…” This is a reckless and irresponsible claim to make, particularly without any shred of corroborating evidence or reference. In our statement of values, UCT commits itself to – among others – an institutional culture of inclusiveness, embodying respect for cultural, religious, linguistic, political, and other differences and acknowledgement of the value of diversity in society.
Any claim to the contrary could, as far as UCT is concerned, be a result of the scourge of disinformation that has not only been witnessed across the globe in relation to the Gaza conflict but has also unfortunately found a way to the UCT campus.
It is likely Mr Norwitz and some alumni base this claim on a few online reports by a particular Jewish publication, which has taken a biased stance when reporting on the matter, and which has attempted to spread an alarmist and exaggerated narrative around events on campus.
UCT once again cautions any member of the university community and the public at large to be mindful that, living in an age of fake news, there should not be reliance on a single source and it is important to sift through and establish fact from fiction. There have been no official UCT activities, engagements, events, or statements that are indicative of any anti-semitism on campus.
The university has spent hours in in-person, telephonic and written engagements with a number of stakeholders – including Mr Norwitz himself – to draw on evidence and dispel this incorrect perception that UCT is antisemitic.
Mr Norwitz also claims that the Council statement is “varnished with a thin veneer of impartiality”. It is ironic that one reading the statement from the gaze tainted by their own subjectivity based on their personal stance on the Middle East conflict would question the impartiality of the Council statement.
That the Council statement does not say what one wants it to say in alignment with their own personal stance on a matter does not make it partial. The Council statement was a result of a formal Council meeting at which members present – drawn from diverse backgrounds, including the Jewish community, and each with their own personal views on the Middle East conflict – applied their minds and settled on a version that addressed issues on either side of the conflict in an as balanced as possible manner.
UCT remains as equally open to engaging with Mr Norwitz further on this matter. While Mr Norwitz is yet to send any formal written notice of his resignation, we reiterate that we hope that the informal correspondence received from him does not signal the end of his long relationship with the university.
UCT is a diverse community of individuals from different racial, religious, cultural and linguistic backgrounds, woven together into a strong community. UCT values each and every one of these members of our community and is committed to strengthening cohesiveness in our community. As much as moments of disagreement do and will arise from time to time, it is the interests of the university that must prevail at all times.
The academic environment provides a unique space to encourage critical thinking: through the exploration of diverse views and diverse ideas, reflection, and constructive debate. Given multiple and often competing stakeholders, differing perspectives pleasing everyone will not always be possible. Nor is it desirable.
As a leading African university and centre of learning, UCT, from time to time faces difficult or contradictory choices. But it is in times such as these when members of the diverse university community – be they students, academics, professional staff, alumni, donors or international partners – need to focus on what we have in common: a shared sense of purpose.
UCT has a pivotal role to play in creating an environment where our students, staff and other university stakeholders relate to each other on a human level, seeing the human faces behind current and historical events and political narratives. Navigating complexity, being alert to misinformation and avoiding a ‘winner takes all’ approach must find their way into any sensitive dialogue.
Issued by Elijah Moholola, Spokesperson, UCT, 19 December 2023
