For Enquiries contact Adv. Rod Solomons (Deputy President of UCTABA) +27692839983
The Executive Committee of the University of Cape Town Association of Black Alumni (UCTABA) and the rest of its membership have followed the developments in the Middle East, especiallly in respect of the conflict between Israel and Palestine with interest. We are fully supportive of our government's position on this matter and were keen to see how our alma mater, UCT, would respond to this.
In November 2023 the UCT Council adopted a resolution in which it "condemned the violation of human rights on 7 October 2023 in Israel and subsequently in Gaza". It also called for a ceasefire and the release of hostages on both sides of the conflict. We felt that the university should have taken a stronger stance against Israel, however, understand for various reasons including the sensitivity of some donors that it could not do so.
We were however much more satisfied when the University Council met on 22 June 2024 where it took a stronger position in respect of that conflict and the horrors unleashed on the Palestinian people by the Israeli government and armed forces. This resolution was much firmer and in essence it reconfirmed resolutions taken at august bodies like the International Court of Justice and the General Assembly of the United Nations.
There was pushback by some linked to UCT with one of its senior academics approaching our courts to overturn that decision, seemingly on the grounds of it being an attack against academic freedom. We are glad that Council had a full debate on the matter and in its Council meeting of 19 October 2024 decided to oppose the application.
We are also aware that some UCT donors have threatened to withdraw their donations to UCT and some have indeed done so. We regard this as the worst attack on academic freedom and is nothing less than blackmail. We call on other donors to refrain from joining such churlish action and call on other donors who support the stance the University Council took, in particual upholding human rights and social justice, to step up to the plate and increase their donations to UCT so that it can continue to provide quality education to our children.
It is our Considered opinion that Council reaffirmed that as a responsible institution it is/was obliged to comply with our country’s Constitution, the rule of law and its commitment to uphold and respect international law and the rulings of the International Court of Justice, hence its final resolution on the matter. This is the furthest from an attack on academic freedom.
We thus wholeheartedly support Council's resolutions on the matter and we trust that the Court will do the same, with a definitive ruling in this regard.