Members of the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) said that they stood in solidarity with University of Johannesburg (UJ) students pushing back against the institution’s vaccine mandate policy, which was approved last year.
A group of students marched in Auckland Park on Thursday against the mandates which require students to be fully vaccinated in order to gain access to UJ’s campuses.
UJ resolved that all its campuses and facilities would be mandatory vaccination sites this year, joining several other tertiary institutions in the country such as Wits and the Durban University of Technology.
The move has been met with some reluctance across institutions.
Blue T-shirts bearing the ACDP logo could be spotted among the group of UJ students protesting against the university’s vaccine policy.
The ACDP’s anti-vaccine mandates stance is well documented and party member Tendani Moope said that it was for this reason that they stood with the students.
“When UJ students were standing up, we said we can team up together and push one agenda because we as ACDP we also don’t want people to vaccinate forcefully,” Moope said.
Meanwhile, UJ student Simon Maluleke said the mandates trampled on his right to bodily integrity and access to education.
“If you are not vaccinated here, you will not have access to any of the campus facilities including classes, you won’t be able to write exams and then by the 31st of March you risk being deregistered, so it means that your right to education is ignored,” Maluleke said.
UJ said that the decision was taken after extensive consultation with the relevant bodies and a survey with staff and students was conducted.
It said that affected individuals may apply for exemption and if granted, there would be strict conditions to follow.
-EWN
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