By Kaya 959 Reporter
The University of Johannesburg (UJ) has adopted a mandatory vaccine policy.
All the university’s campuses and facilities will be mandatory vaccination sites from January 2022.
“The vaccination policy states that staff, postdoctoral research fellows and students will need to provide UJ with their vaccination status before gaining access to any campus or facility,” says UJ.
It says these measures also apply to ad hoc contractors, identified stakeholders and visitors.
“This outcome will ensure that the University’s staff, postdoctoral research fellows and students have optimal access to the University’s precincts.
“This is for the purposes of working, learning, research, laboratory and clinical work whilst protecting the health and safety of the University community and its stakeholders,” says UJ spokesperson Herman Esterhuizen says.
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Medical, religious exemptions
Esterhuizen adds: “The need for optimal access to the campuses and facilities has become crucial in part because of the socioeconomic circumstances of the university’s students. Additionally, some learning programmes require in-person engagement for research and experiential learning.”
UJ says exemptions, based on medical or religious grounds, will be considered.
“It is important to note, however, that UJ will 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,” Esterhuizen says.
Students are expected to provide proof of vaccination at University of the Free State, Rhodes University and University of Cape Town.
The same applies to the University of the Western Cape and the University of the Witwatersrand.
