PLANNED LITIGATION ON UCT ADMISSION POLICY

The Higher Education Transformation Network (HETN), acting on behalf of its alumni members, hereby confirms that it is at an advanced stage with regards to its intentions to initiate litigation against the University of Cape Town for its newly admissions policy which does not advance transformation in higher education.

It is the opinion of the Network that the UCT admissions policy will result in further marginalization of black and women applicants. It is an undeniable empirical truth that South Africa is the most unequal society in the world. If UCT was sincere about transformation, it would enhance the admissions policy to address the root causes of inequality in the same manner as policies implemented in India, where affirmative/ corrective action was applied to address the discriminatory caste system which had been implemented in India for many years.

Academic freedom does not include the right to keep the higher educational playing field tilted to perpetuate subordination nor does it represent the right of a privileged elite to act as exclusive gatekeepers of a publicly funded institution.

We will continue to expose and battle racism in higher education where such racism exists as we believe that Universities can no longer hide corruption, mismanagement, lies and racism under the veil of institutional autonomy.

We call on all roleplayers in higher education to utilize the courts to enforce Constitutional principles on errant higher education Administrators who continue to pay scant respect to the letter of the Constitution of the Republic.

Statement issued by Mr Lucky Thekisho, Chairperson of the Higher Education Transformation Network (HETN) Board, November 2 2014

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