At a recent meeting, the University of Johannesburg (UJ) Council resolved that all the university’s campuses and facilities would be mandatory vaccination sites from January 2022.
In a statement, the institution said the vaccination policy stated that staff, postdoctoral research fellows, and students would need to provide UJ with their vaccination status, first vaccination completed or fully vaccinated, before gaining access to any campus or facility. These measures also apply to ad hoc contractors, identified stakeholders and visitors.
This outcome was said to ensure the university’s staff, postdoctoral research fellows and students have optimal access to the university’s precincts for purposes of working, learning, research, and laboratory and clinical work while protecting the health and safety of the university community and its stakeholders. The need for optimal access to the campuses and facilities had become a crucial in part because of the socioeconomic circumstances of the university’s students. Additionally, some learning programmes required in-person engagement for research and experiential learning.
Exemptions based on medical or religious grounds would be considered. It was important to note, however, that UJ would balance the rights of individuals against the collective rights of the broader university and the surrounding community. As the collective rights take precedence, the rights of individuals may be limited in terms of Section 36 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996.
