In 2024, the University of Cape Town maintained strong engagement with regional, national, and international partners — including government departments, NGOs, and research networks — in advancing policies and programmes aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through its research centres and institutes, such as the Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit (SALDRU), the Poverty and Inequality Initiative (PII), and the Centre for Environmental and Sustainability Science (CESS), UCT contributed evidence-based insights to inform public policy on poverty alleviation, sustainable development, and social justice.
In 2024, UCT deepened its engagement with policy development and SDG-aligned action through several high-profile research dialogues that underscore its policy influence. UCT academics and student groups collaborated with local municipalities, community organisations, and regional development bodies to shape interventions addressing inequality, environmental resilience, and health equity. These engagements underscore UCT’s commitment — articulated in its Vision 2030 strategy — to drive transformative change and policy impact across Africa through research-led, socially responsive partnerships.
1. Presidential Economic Advisory Council
On 15 November 2024, President Ramaphosa announced the Presidential Economic Advisory Council for his 7th administration. This is a non-statutory, independent body intended to advise the President and government on economic policy (inclusive, sustainable growth, job creation etc.) President Cyril Ramaphosa appointed members of the Presidential Economic Advisory Council who will play an important role in guiding the 7th Administration in its pursuit of rapid, inclusive and sustainable economic growth and job creation.
President Ramaphosa set up the Council to ensure greater coherence and consistency in the implementation of economic policy and ensure that government and society in general is better equipped to respond to changing economic circumstances.
Comprising local and international economic thought leaders, the Council advises the President and government more broadly, helping the development and implementation of economic policies that spur inclusive growth.
The Council is a non-statutory and independent body chaired by the President and brings together prominent economists and technical experts drawn from academia, the private sector, labour, community, think tanks and other constituencies.
From UCT, two prominent scholars were appointed:
- Haroon Bhorat, Professor of Economics and Director of the Development Policy Research Unit (DPRU) at UCT. He had served in PEAC before and was reappointed.
- Alan Hirsch, Emeritus Professor at the Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance (which is part of UCT). He also was named among the members.
The nature of PEAC means that UCT has direct input into national policy debate via this appointment. They are expected to provide expert advice, analysis, help frame or critique policy proposals.
2. South Africa Labour & Development Research Unit (SALDRU)
The South Africa Labour & Development Research Unit (SALDRU) at UCT and the African Leadership Initiative hosted a policy-dialogue in November 2024 called “What sacred policy cows need to be revisited to unlock South Africa’s potential?”. This partnership between SALDRU and the African Leadership Initiative South Africa, (which is affiliated to the Aspen Global Leadership Network Impact Leadership Dialogue) was the first of a series of joint policy dialogue sessions leading up to the SALDRU conference in April 2025, themed 'South Africa at 30 Years of Democracy'.
In May 2024, SALDRU also published “More than a just transition”, calling for policy attention to which regions/groups are most exposed to job loss or benefit in South Africa’s energy transition; arguing for fairness, inclusion, and skills development as part of the policy framework, so that communities dependent on carbon-intensive industries are not left behind.
3. Perinatal Mental Health Project
Hailed as a “watershed moment for women’s health in South Africa”, the release of the country’s long-awaited updated National Integrated Maternal and Perinatal Care Guidelines (NIMPCG) marked an especially proud occasion for the University of Cape Town’s Perinatal Mental Health Project (PMHP), which was a key contributor to this crucial guidance for healthcare workers.
Released in October 2024 by the national Department of Health, the fifth edition of the guidelines for optimising healthcare among pregnant and postnatal women is a response to statistics that show that one in every three South African women experience mental health conditions during pregnancy and the postpartum period – double the rate in high-income countries.
“The release of the guidelines is a watershed moment for the women of South Africa,” said Associate Professor Simone Honikman, PMHP founder and director, given that mental health issues are a major contributor to South Africa’s maternal mortality rate of 109.6 per 100 000 live births, eightfold higher than in the United Kingdom.
Along with the updated South African guidelines, the PMHP also supported the development of the World Health Organization’s Guide for Perinatal Mental Health in Maternal and Child Health Services.
4. South African Child Gauge 2024 (Children’s Institute)
The South African Child Gauge is published annually. The focus theme of South African Child Gauge 2024 is early childhood development, tracking progress since the National Integrated Early Childhood Development (NIECD) Policy was adopted in 2015, and setting an agenda for 2030.
It shows worrying gaps:
- 1 infant in 5 not fully immunised by age one;
- 1 in 6 children in poverty is not receiving the Child Support Grant
• Only two-thirds of children aged 3-5 are accessing early learning programmes
The Child Gauge 2024 strongly recommends (among other things):
- Increasing the value of the Child Support Grant (CSG) to at least the food poverty line;
- Boosting subsidies to early learning programmes, improving the training of ECD practitioners
The Child Gauge 2024 findings were used in UCT News articles and by academics to call for increasing the Child Support Grant, particularly in relation to child food poverty.
The Child Gauge 2024’s launch (21 August 2024) was covered in by multiple media outlets. South Africa’s First Lady, Dr Tshepo Motsepe, delivered the keynote at the launch, drawing a high-profile to put Child Gauge findings on the public and policy agenda.
NGOs and civil society have used the Child Gauge results in critiques of government budget allocations. For example, in November 2024, a statement titled “Godongwana’s budget fails South Africa’s youngest children: No path to universal ECD access” cites the Child Gauge, arguing that the 2024 Medium Term Budget Policy Statement did not respond adequately to its recommendations. The Child Gauge’s findings have helped inform discourse about increasing the Child Support Grant, and adjusting early learning programme subsidies.