Vaccine mandates backed as policy directive mulled

A HEATED debate on whether to make Covid-19 vaccinations compulsory for staff and students at universities and colleges is under way.

Universities of South Africa, a body that represents 26 public institutions, indicated it would support the call for a policy that mandates vaccination to prevent campuses from being Covid-19 breeding grounds.

“Universities SA and the universities are deeply engaged with the challenge of having students back on campus and taking classes. It may well be that there may be an increased use of technology but there is also a clear recognition that learning and teaching are intensely social activities,” said Universities of South Africa chief executive Professor Ahmed Bawa.

Queries to the Department of Higher and Education and Training on whether such a mandate would be supported or implemented at government-run technical vocational education and training (TVET) colleges were not responded to. There are 50 registered TVET colleges across the country with over 360 campuses spread out in urban and rural areas.

In the Western Cape two of the four major institutions have been mulling over a decision on whether to implement this in time for the beginning of 2022 academic year.

On Friday, the University of Cape Town’s senate debated on a motion of vaccine mandate and are expected to vote on the matter this week before the institution’s council makes a final determination.

“The senate discussed and deliberated on the complex matter fully, taking into consideration a range of views. A ballot of the senate members present at the meeting will follow early next week,” said the institution’s Elijah Maholola.

“UCT reiterates that any final decision on a matter of policy for the university will have to be a decision of the council .”

Martin Viljoen from Stellenbosch University said the institution established a task team to investigate the possibility of a mandate.

“A task team has been appointed to do a risk assessment of the various factors involved for staff and students at SU not getting vaccinated. This is necessary in accordance with a regulation on health and safety issued by the Department of Employment and Labour in June this year.”

“The outcome of the risk assessment will guide our vaccination policy. Management and SU’s Institutional Committee for Business Continuation (managing the University’s response to the pandemic) will make a recommendation to council, who will then make a final decision at its meeting on December 2.”

The University of the Western Cape’s Gasant Abarder said mandatory vaccinations were not a policy the institution was considering.

“(UWC) will be guided by the protocols for Covid-19 as set by the Presidency and the National Department of Health. UWC is also guided by a sectoral approach and engages on such matters with organisations like Higher Health and Universities South Africa.”