The University of Cape Town’s Council governs the university and is constituted according to the provision of the Higher Education Act, 1997, and the University of Cape Town Statute.

Its responsibilities include determining the mission, objectives, goals, strategies and policies for the progress of the institution. It must also ensure an environment conducive to efficient, effective, economical and ethical attainment of these goals.

It has the responsibility of maintaining and ensuring a financially secure, healthy and viable environment and accounting for all decisions taken at UCT, including the submission of the required reports and documents to the Minister of Education.

The Council of an institution, its Senate and vice-chancellor through the Council, are accountable for their actions to the State through the Minister of Education.

Composition

The 30-member Council consists of:

  • executive officers
  • other employees of the institution
  • students
  • persons, who are not staff or students, appointed by a wide range of parties.

External members (neither staff nor students of the institution) make up 60% of the total membership.

  1. Students (Undergraduate & Graduate)
    • UCT’s Council membership is defined in its Statute / Higher-Education Act as including three students elected by the Students’ Representative Council (SRC), “one of whom must be a postgraduate student.”
    • This means both undergraduate and graduate student constituencies are represented via election.
    • The SRC itself is an elected body: UCT News reports on the 2024/25 SRC election and constitution, confirming democratic election by students.
  2. Faculty (Academic Staff)
    • UCT’s Statute provides for three members of academic (faculty) staff to be elected by the UCT Senate to sit on Council.
    • The Higher Education Act / UCT Act codifies this in the Council composition: “one member of the academic staff, elected by the academic staff.”
  3. Non-Faculty Staff (Non-Academic / Administrative / Support Employees)
    • Under the same Statute, UCT’s Council includes three non-academic (administrative and support) staff members elected from amongst those employees.
    • This means non-academic staff (often referred to as PASS: Professional, Administrative, Support & Service staff) have representation on the Council through elected positions.

UCT’s governing Council — its highest decision-making body — includes elected representatives from:

  1. Students (via the SRC, including both undergraduates and at least one postgraduate);
  2. Faculty / Academic Staff (one seat elected by academic staff);
  3. Non-Academic / Support Staff (two seats elected by administrative / support employees).

This structure is legally enshrined in UCT’s Statute, consistent with national higher-education governance law, and is actively practiced in recent Council formation cycles. Information is publicly documented in UCT’s Statute, government gazette, and UCT News reports.

Members of Council 2024 - 2028

The Council membership for the period 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2028 is recorded on this page. The term of appointment is 4 years unless stated otherwise. Office-bearers were elected at the first meeting of Council on 6 July 2024, for the term.