Solidarity directs lawyer’s letter to UCT about mandatory vaccination
28 October 2021
Solidarity today sent a lawyer’s letter to the University of Cape Town (UCT) dealing with this university’s policy on mandatory vaccination of students as well as its employees.
According to Solidarity, the policy is unlawful, is a threat to the livelihoods of university employees and discriminates against all students who, for whatever reason, would refuse vaccination.
“As a public body, the university must comply with various sets of legislation and legal principles. This policy is in conflict with almost all forms of regulation the university is subject to,” says Solidarity Youth Manager Paul Maritz. “This policy is plain irrational and unfair. From the outset it is a major infringement on the constitutional rights of students as well as the university’s employees.”
In its letter, Solidarity demands that UCT review and reject this policy. Solidarity further contends that it is inconceivable for the university to issue such a policy at this time of the year. “At this time of the year, students and prospective students have already reached an advanced stage of the application process for next year. This policy means that many students will now have to look for alternatives on short notice and, in many cases, it may already be too late to do so. This policy changes, as it were, the university’s admission requirements and it is not within UCT’s power to randomly tamper with such conditions,” Maritz pointed out.
According to Solidarity, UCT’s primary mandate is to train students for the workplace and not to promote vaccination. “It is a shame that the future of so many students is threatened by the promotion and enforcement of the university management’s views. In a country with the world’s highest youth unemployment rate, it is appalling that a university would banish even more young people to the horrors of unemployment and poverty,” Maritz concludes.
Issued by Connie Mulder, Head: Solidarity Research Institute, 28 October 2021
