Hundreds of students from the University of Cape Town (UCT) paid their respects to Dean of Health Sciences Professor Bongani Mayosi at an informal memorial service on Monday. Mayosi, who was born in Mthatha in 1967 and died on Friday, was fondly remembered as a source of encouragement and inspiration. "He really took my hand to mentor me as a specialist physician. It wasn't an easy journey and I had […]
For many students new textbooks are excessively expensive, while second-hand books can be hard to find. University of Cape Town (UCT) student Tamir Shklaz is making the process easier and more convenient with his digital platform Quillo, which connects buyers and sellers of second-hand university textbooks. When Shklaz got to university he was shocked at the number of textbooks he needed and the associated costs. After heading to the noticeboard […]
In the beginning the conversation about global climate change focused on cutting greenhouse gas emissions to keep Earth's temperatures from rising dangerously high. Later, another conversation developed alongside the first, which said even if we stopped all greenhouse gas emissions today, we would not be able to avoid some climate change because of the vast amount of emissions we had already pumped into the atmosphere over hundreds of years. These […]
A UCT lecturer has apologized for his remarks made via email to a Muslim student asking to break her fast during exams. The message went viral yesterday after it was posted on social media by the aggrieved student Nuhaa Soeker. In a statement, UCT management said the comments were inappropriate and disrespectful. In his apology, UCT lecturer John Higgins said his response was "appallingly ill-considered and hurtful, and had caused […]
UCT Student Representative Council (SRC) members have denounced claims made by SRC president Karabo Khakhau that there was a housing crisis at the university. Khakhau claimed on Monday that the university had over-allocated spaces in residences, which resulted in many students having to find private accommodation instead. - Read: UCT struggles to provide student accommodation But SRC members said the comment was fabricated. "That was made up by the president […]
By Yaseen Kippie President Jacob Zuma's announcement of free higher education for poor and working class students on Saturday has political and governance implications, according to Stellenbosch University Professor Erwin Schwella. “The political dimension is Zuma giving impetus to his slate of candidates. Essentially, its to influence the election. On the governance side, its different. Whenever something is given for free, someone pays for it. It's either the users or […]
The University of Cape Town (UCT) is putting its foot down and has lodged an urgent Western Cape High Court application to halt further protest action at the campus. Although the application will only be heard next week, it has been given temporary relief that prohibits any disruptions over the next few days. The university wants the court to grant it an interim interdict prohibiting students from participating in unlawful […]
The family of University of Cape Town (UCT) student Ebraheem Goder is asking for help in locating him, after he disappeared on Wednesday. Goder's father, Maulana Mohammad Ali Goder, says the 22-year-old Bachelor of Arts student’s last known location was UCT. Speaking to VOC News, Maulana Ali explains that Ebraheem spoke to his wife at about 15h00, informing her that he will be collecting her at her parent's Retreat home. Family […]
By Yaseen Kippie The debate surrounding a potential academic boycott of Israeli academic institutions by the University of Cape Town (UCT) continues, with UCT’s Palestine Solidarity Forum (PSF) taking up the cudgels to organise a seminar series on exploring all aspects of the boycott. As part of a broader boycott, divestment and sanctions campaign, the aim is to isolate Israel in order to force a change in Israel's discriminatory policies […]
VOC became the first Muslim radio station in South Africa when a special events license was granted to the station in Ramadan/January 1995. Subsequent temporary broadcast licenses were granted, permitting the station to broadcast for 24 hours.
