Dear Concerned Citizens for Academic Freedom at UCT
The first two days of the landmark judicial review Professor Adam Mendelsohn v University of Cape Town were heard last week and will continue this Thursday, 30 October 2025, from 14h00. You can view the streamed proceedings and detailed updates at uctwatch.com.
Recent commentary surrounding UCT’s current court case has misrepresented the facts and distorted the principles. It is patently false to claim that the case is a contest between “humanity and money.” It is about governance, adherence to the rule of law, and the preservation of academic freedom at one of Africa’s leading institutions.
The funding agreement at the centre of the case was drafted, signed, and subsequently breached by the very same parties at UCT now attempting to deflect responsibility. It is especially cynical to do so by hiding behind the tragedy in the Middle East.
Donors have not “blackmailed” UCT. Senior members of the UCT community avoidably breached a contract, withheld that information from the majority of Council members and then blamed UCT’s generous donors for their own misdeeds.
What is at issue is the University’s obligation to act lawfully, and to act in the best interests of its students, and staff. Protecting bursaries, safeguarding employment, and ensuring that UCT continues to deliver world-class education are moral acts, not greed.
Good governance and lawfulness is not in conflict with humanity - it is the mechanism through which institutions remain credible and just. When identity politics and activism override due process and sound management, the institution itself suffers.
It is increasingly concerning to see splinter alumni groups using divisive rhetoric to advance narrow personal and political/ ideological agendas. Such groups do not represent the majority of UCT alumni, who continue to value freedom of speech, intellectual enquiry, and good governance.
The University of Cape Town is a national asset. It must be protected from factional interests and disinformation, and guided by its founding values: scholarship, integrity, and the pursuit of knowledge in service of society.