Dear UP colleagues,

Welcome back and all the best for 2022!

I trust you had a relaxing break and that you are ready to tackle 2022 with renewed energy and enthusiasm.

Thank you again for all your hard work and commitment last year. Your resilience has made a meaningful contribution to the success of our institution in 2021.

With the changes to the Adjusted Alert Level 1 COVID-19 regulations as approved by Cabinet on 30 December 2021 and the significant decrease in the associated risks, we can relax some of the workplace restrictions. I, therefore, ask you to please return to the office for at least four days a week. And when you are back, please remember to remain vigilant and adhere to all the necessary COVID-19 protocols, including the wearing of masks, regularly sanitising your hands and maintaining a social distance. It is important that you look after your own and others’ safety and well-being.

As mentioned towards the end of last year, we are devising a plan to ensure the safe opening of our campuses, and we hope to finish the consultation process by the end of the month, after which we will make a further announcement.

In the meantime, I encourage those who are eligible to get their booster shots and those who are partly or not yet vaccinated to do so before the end of the month. We want everyone to vaccinate. Vaccines protect everyone’s health and significantly reduce severe illness, hospitalisation and death. Vaccines are safe. Those who have doubts or are hesitant should seek more information from medical experts, including staff from our Faculty of Health Sciences.

I look forward to welcoming you back on campus.

Kind regards,

Prof Tawana Kupe

Vice-Chancellor and Principal