As the debate about mandatory vaccination policies intensifies, some of SA’s leading universities are taking steps to make it compulsory for staff and students to get vaccinated against Covid-19.
Universities South Africa Director of Operations, Dr Linda Meyer says institutions are legally entitled to exclude students who aren't vaccinated from campus.
Although mandatory vaccinations are not mandated by law, Dr. Meyer says universities can refuse entry to people who aren't vaccinated.
Reports said the University of Stellenbosch, Wits University, Rhodes University are some of the universities that have joined the University of Cape Town in adopting mandatory vaccination policy for students and staff.
As Universities South Africa we are urging all stakeholders to work together as an effort of educating advocacy to make sure that people get vaccinated.
She argues that universities have the right to do so based on provisions in the Constitution, Higher Education Act, and Occupational Health and Safety Act.
However, the South African Union of Students (SAUS) spokesperson, Aviwe Dlanjwa provides that, though the organisation supports the vaccination of students and staff in institutions of higher learning, vaccinating people against their will is wrong.
Dlanjwa says universities are institutions of learning and they must engage students with scientific facts, and show them the medical benefits of vaccinating.
He further added that universities must not force it and coerce them, as that would violate their constitutional rights. SAUS also mediates that government is not at the point where it says citizens should be vaccinating mandatorily.
Universities are public institutions they can't define themselves outside the general regulations and the understanding that government has with society at large, said Dlanjwa.
