University of Cape Town - The African Mirror

Dec

2023

Dreaming up a new future: a generation of adolescent girls and young women finds a voice

“WHERE I grew up, no one asks a girl, ‘What do you want to be?’” said 19-year-old Boitumelo Kgame. The University of Cape Town dorm room in which Kgame was seated revealed an old soul. A bed neatly made, a music corner with a violin leaning against a wall and, above a music stand, Kgame’s favourite album covers taped like family photos to the wall. Among the album covers was a photo of a man named Bra K, from Soweto. He had taught her how to play the violin, she explained. Bra K had used music to teach self-discipline and…

Oct

2023

By ANNIKA SURMEIER, ALEX BIGNOTTI, BOB DOHERTY, DAVID LITTLEWOOD, DIANE HOLT, PHYLLIS AWOR, RALPH HAMANN and TEDDY OSSEI KWAKYE

Global university rankings now include social impact: African universities are off to a strong start

EDUCATION

WORLD university rankings are released towards the end of each year. Institutions globally scramble to see how they have fared. Have they risen or fallen? If so, by how much and in which rankings? Have they maintained their position in an increasingly competitive global higher education landscape? There have been some improvements in African universities’ performances. But the continent’s institutions still don’t feature prominently towards the top of the rankings. In the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2024, for instance, South Africa’s University of Cape Town is top for the continent, at 167th place. It is followed by…

Apr

2021

By The African Mirror

Scientology Volunteer Ministers sterling role during the Cape Town runaway fires

RELIGION

WHEN runaway wildfires hit Table Mountain and the city of Cape Town recently, destroying property and displacing thousands of people, many volunteers answered the call to assist with major humanitarian exercise that followed. So did ministers from the Church of Scientology. A team from the Scientology Volunteer Ministers (SVM) battled thick smoke and unbearable heat, working side by side for hours with firefighters to extinguish the fire. Other members of the SVM brought much-needed supplies to university students' displacement sites, trauma counselling to firefighters and more to assist. The fires caused extensive damage to the University of Cape Town, which…

Apr

2021

By The African Mirror

From the ashes, library vows to rebuild unrivaled Africa collection

EDUCATION

KIM HARRISBERG CAPE TOWN is reeling after one of its worst fires in recent history tore through the University of Cape Town campus, forcing 4,000 students to evacuate as it consumed precious items from the library's rare African Studies collection. Tens of thousands of books, manuscripts, films and government publications from across Africa were on Sunday turned to ash in the Jagger Library; many more emerged water damaged. The library housed one of the world's biggest collections of African history books and unique African films, including early editions of the first Black-owned newspaper in South Africa. Ujala Satgoor, executive director…

Apr

2021

By The African Mirror

Significant archives are under threat in Cape Town’s fire. Why they matter so much

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

A wildfire on the slopes of South Africa’s Table Mountain has wreaked havoc at the University of Cape Town (UCT) campus. Among the sites of historical significance that have been damaged is the Jagger Library. The library houses rare and specialist collections, such as the important African Studies collections. The Conversation Africa’s Nontobeko Mtshali asked UCT academic Shannon Morreira to share her insights on what the loss means for the historical records held by the university. SHANNON MORREIRA, Senior Lecturer, University of Cape Town Why is the African Studies Book Collection so significant? When news broke that the Jagger Library…

Apr

2021

By The African Mirror

UCT salvaging books from burned library

NEWS

WENDELL ROELF STARING helplessly as flames from a weekend wildfire on the slopes of Table Mountain spread and razed the University of Cape Town's library, chief librarian Ujala Satgoor was back amid the smouldering ruins on Tuesday to try and salvage what was left. One of Cape Town's worst fires in recent memory was brought under control on Monday after burning for more than 24 hours since starting on Sunday, damaging historical sites and forcing people to evacuate their homes. Starting on the slopes of Devil's Peak, another part of Cape Town's mountainous backdrop, it forced University of Cape Town…

Apr

2021

By The African Mirror

Battle to contain Cape Town fire, man arrested

NEWS

SOUTH African emergency workers have started evacuating three 17-storey residential buildings overlooking Cape Town city as a wildfire fanned by strong winds continues to burn out of control along Table Mountain, city officials said today. The fire started early Sunday morning on the slopes of Devils' Peak, another part of Cape Town's mountainous backdrop, forcing University of Cape Town students to evacuate residences as runaway flames set several campus buildings ablaze, including a library housing historic books and scripts. Around 250 firefighters are battling to control the blaze, as strong winds ground helicopters normally used in firebombing sorties. A thick…