UCT graduates and academics back our call on divestment

The University of Cape Town’s Convocation, the body representing alumni and academics, has again backed our call for the university to divest from all fossil fuels by 2029, the deadline it set three years ago.

Fossil Free SA proposed a motion to the Convocation meeting of 4 December that UCT should stick to its initial deadline rather than delay until 2040 – a possibility reported two months ago by UCT News – and should adopt a comprehensive human rights-based and socially responsible investment strategy.

The motion was passed by 59% of those attending, to resounding applause, with 34% against and the rest abstaining. Our director, David Le Page, was voted onto the Convocation executive committee.

Motions by the UCT Alumni for Palestine group were also passed: that UCT should declare itself an apartheid-free university, and an affirmation of the university’s role as an ethical, independent institution committed to the pursuit of truth and social justice. Our thanks to UCT Alumni for Palestine for nominating David for Convocation’s Exco, and for their support for his candidacy.

UCT is the first African university to pledge to divest from fossil fuels, joining over 250 others world-wide, including the University of Harvard and Oxford University.

Thank you to all our supporters who registered for Convocation to support our motion. It would not have succeeded without you!

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