Executive communiqué 05
16 February 2022
Update: COVID-19 Mandatory Vaccination
Dear UJ Community,
It has been pleasing to hear the pleasant chatters, punctuated with laughter, across our campuses since the 2022 Academic Programme began this week on Monday. Our students are evidently excited about the return to face-to-face classes, after almost two years of remote learning. It is also encouraging to see that just like our employees, our students are embracing our University’s COVID-19 Mandatory Vaccination Policy. Many have not wasted time, and have uploaded their proof of vaccination.
As you would recall, our employees were required to have uploaded their vaccination certificates (as proof of at least partial vaccination) by 1 February 2022. As for students, they were required to have done the same by this past Monday, on 14 February 2022. Since then, we have been giving both our employees and students who might not have uploaded their certificates a grace period, while providing them with support and assistance in order for them to do so.
However, this grace period will lapse by this coming Sunday, 20 February 2022. It means that as from Monday, 21 February 2022, only employees and students who have been at least partially vaccinated or have applied for exemption, will be able to access campus or any other UJ site. From 21 February 2022, employees and students who have been exempted are required to provide an email proof of their exemption application outcome. They must also present a negative COVID-19/SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test result taken not more than seven days ago.
Employees and students who have neither been vaccinated nor applied for exemption will be deemed as non-compliant with the Mandatory Vaccination Policy and will not be allowed to access UJ campuses or facilities. Employees who are denied access due to being regarded as non-compliant must inform their line manager who will liaise with their HR Business partner on the process to follow.
Please remember that employees must be fully vaccinated by 15 March 2022 (fully vaccinated does not include the booster shot, where applicable), or have been approved for exemption from vaccination. As for students, they are required to be fully vaccinated by 31 March 2022 or have been approved for exemption from vaccination. Staff and students can upload their proof of vaccination on https://ulink.uj.ac.za/ujvac Under “COVID-19 Services”, select “UJ Covid-19 Mandatory Vaccine Disclosure Facility”.
You can get your vaccination certificate from the South African COVID-19 Vaccination Certificate System Portal (https://vaccine.certificate.health.gov.za/). If you are an employee and studying at UJ, please upload your certificate under your ‘staff’ login credentials, and also your ‘student’ login credentials on uLink. If you are an assistant lecturer or postdoctoral research fellow, please upload under your ‘student’ login credentials.
If you have difficulty in submitting your vaccination certificates, you may request assistance by dialing +27 559 4555 or by emailing mylife@uj.ac.za. If you do not have access to a computer and/or emails, you should seek assistance from your line manager for the uploading of vaccination certificates or you can visit the following facilities on campus before the deadlines:
- Kingsway Campus: E-Les 201;
- Bunting Road Campus: Con-Cowan G10;
- Doornfontein Campus: JOB 2231; or
- Soweto Campus: Braamfisher 203.
You may also contact the Campus Health Clinics for assistance by emailing mgeya@uj.ac.za or mirandat@uj.ac.za.Alternatively, you may also visit the UJ website www.uj.ac.za.
Employees and students who have not been vaccinated are reminded that the Logistics Department provides transport to the COVID-19 vaccination sites daily, between 14h00 and 16h00. Please note that following the closure of the Netcare Milpark COVID-19 site, the University has identified Helen Joseph and Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospitals as additional sites. However, the Liberty Life Vaccination site remains open.
Transportation to the vaccination sites will be made as follows:
- SWC: Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital
- DFC: Liberty Building (Braamfontein)
- APK and APB: Helen Joseph Hospital
- APK: joans@uj.ac.za 011 559 3837
- APB: leboganga@uj.ac.za 011 559 1238
- DFC: estherp@uj.ac.za 011 559 6544
- SWC: emmab@uj.ac.za 011 559 5571
