Cape Town - The University of Cape Town (UCT) council has announced that it has approved the renaming of several of its buildings.
Following a plenary meeting on June 17, deputy council chairperson Malcolm Campbell had written to the university community to provide an update on the latest developments.
What was formerly the Naming of Buildings Committee, which had made a number of recommendations to council, will itself receive a name change.
“First, council approved changes to the terms of reference of this committee, including a change to the name of the committee itself, which henceforth will be the University Naming Committee given that its remit will extend to naming virtual spaces and not only physical buildings and spaces,” Campbell said.
“Virtual spaces have become an integral part of teaching, learning and research activities at UCT. The committee’s work will be informed by the African identity of the university, and by buildings, physical spaces and virtual spaces bearing names that create a more inclusive, diverse, multilingual and multicultural learning environment.”
Other name changes include the Geological Sciences Extension Building, to be renamed the Properties and Services Administration Building; the Anatomy Learning Centre to the Khoesisoros Museum (meaning “human body”); the Human Biology Learning Centre to be renamed the Kusrusenhare Teaching Lab (meaning “building a human body”), and the Old Workshop Building in the Centre for Theatre, Dance and Performance Studies to be renamed Ephupheni (meaning “a place of limitless possibilities, time mutation, and future dreaming”).
Council has also approved changes to the names of the Arena Theatre, the Studio on Dance Campus, and the Bindery Lab. However, this is pending approval from the families concerned before the names changes can be made and announced.
New council members, which include new council chairperson Norman Arendse, were also announced. A senior practising advocate and member of the Cape and Johannesburg Bars, Arendse will serve for the current term to June 30, 2024.
He was conferred senior counsel status in 1998 and was a member of the previous UCT council, serving on its executive committee and the then Naming of Buildings Committee as chairperson.
“Council also elected Mr Arendse to the role of chairperson. Council is confident that given Mr Arendse’s track record and extensive experience in governance, legal matters and leadership roles in national sports structures in South Africa as well as in the law profession as the first black chair of the General Council of the Bar of South Africa, he will represent council and UCT very well in his role as chairperson,” Campbell said.
In May, former chair Babalwa Ngonyama resigned following an interim report led by retired Supreme Court of Appeal president Lex Mpati, implicating Ngonyama in abuse of power.