UFS Vaccine Mandate Policy: “Medical Apartheid”

The University of the Free State (UFS)’s compulsory Covid-19 vaccination policy is discriminatory and boils down to medical apartheid. This is the opinion of Pearl Kupe, a Pretoria attorney and activist against compulsory vaccination.

Earlier, Volksblad reported that the university’s vaccination policy remains in force, despite the remaining Covid-regulations being scrapped. 

Lacea Loader, spokesperson for the University of the Free State, said the university decided not to scrap its vaccination policy because Covid-19 remains a reality, and their policy encourages good medical practice.

In terms of the policy staff, students and visitors are still required to produce a vaccine certificate or a negative result from an antigen or PCR test - which is loaded onto the campus entry system - in order to be permitted onto the university’s campuses.  

The UFS, however, no longer requires the wearing of masks on campus or in any of the campus buildings.

In the meantime, Solidariteit is proceeding with their court case against the UFS regarding their compulsory vaccination policy. According to Solidariteit’s communications manager, Morne Malan, the union will seek a cost order from the court against UFS, should the university still have their policy in place by the time the case reaches the Bloemfontein High Court.

He says the initial application was submitted on 12 January, after which additional information were filed to include updated developments. 

A court date has not yet been set.

“South Africa is done with mandates. Of course, the UFS is entitled to extend any number of recommendations, but to endanger the future of young people and staff based on draconian, irrational measures is totally inexcusable,” said Malan. 

According to Kupe, she is disappointed in the UFS, because it is still proceeding with the compulsory vaccination policy.

She says the University of Cape Town (UCT) was the first university to propose compulsory vaccinations, yet they dropped this policy in March this year.  

It was reported earlier that UCT’s council decided in October last year to support the policy in principle but had decided in March not to apply it for the time being.

Elijah Moholola, UCT spokesperson confirmed that the policy was never mandated.

Kupe also referred to the University of Johannesburg (UJ) which has also abolished their compulsory vaccination policy since all Covid-19 regulations were ended.

“I do not understand why the UFS are still doggedly holding onto their compulsory and discriminating vaccination policy. Why are they forcing their unvaccinated students to have PCR tests done, when you can have Covid-19 despite being vaccinated? Then everyone should be taking the PCR tests,” she said.

“As South Africans, we cannot tolerate any form of apartheid, so they must stop with this. It is unacceptable. It goes against our Constitution and that which we stand for as South Africans. We have already fought against apartheid. We do not need another apartheid, instituted by the UFS.”