Covid 19: UCT's Mandatory Vaccine Policy is Being Opposed

• The University of Cape Town's Senate has passed a motion in favour of making Covid 19 vaccines a requirement for students and staff
• The recent motion has garnered some resistance and led to people petitioning against the policy becoming a reality
• The university stated that policy has not yet been made final and a decision will be taken after engagements with stakeholders

CAPE TOWN - The University of Cape Town's plans to introduce a policy that will make getting the Covid 19 vaccine mandatory for students and staff is receiving resistance and backlash.

People have taken it upon themselves to start a petition after the UCT Senate voted in favour of introducing the policy, starting in 2022.

According to IOL, 183 people voted for the policy, making it a majority of 83% of the votes were in favour of the policy. Only 32 people voted against the policy.

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Solidarity Youth is against the plans to make vaccines a requirement and has stated that they are looking into taking legal action against UCT. They have called the policy discriminatory and a violation of people's right to education.

Over 12 000 people have signed the petition against UCT's policy.

The policy has not yet been finalised and will only become official after UCT stakeholders have been engaged with on the motion to make vaccination a requirement.

UCT spokesperson Elijah Moholola said the final decision on the vaccine policy will be made by the council. The Senate recommends that the council should convene a meeting in October 2021 to discuss the Senate's motion a make a decision, according to News24.

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Covid19: South African government considering making vaccination mandatory

Briefly News previously reported that South Africans may be required by the government to get the coronavirus vaccine, this is according to Minister of Health Joe Phaahla.

While Phaahla says vaccinations may be mandatory, the government has not yet made a definitive decision on the matter, according to a report by EWN.

According to Phaahla, the government is now discussing with several stakeholders the practicality of making vaccines mandatory but they are merely investigating their options at this time.

He added that at the moment the government is looking into limiting entertainment and access to workplaces for individuals who choose the jab.

Source: Briefly News