UCT loses R250m after endorsing Gaza ceasefire resolutions, sparking donor backlash
The University of Cape Town forfeited about 250 million rand in donor money after passing two pro-Palestinian resolutions on the Gaza conflict.
University of Cape Town announced a loss of roughly R250 million in donations after it adopted two resolutions supporting a ceasefire in Gaza, humanitarian assistance and a ban on collaborations with Israeli-military-affiliated research groups. Vice-Chancellor Mosa Moshabela reported that the Donald Gordon Foundation withdrew its R200 million, ten-year pledge to a neuroscience institute, and other donors held back R50 million, including R15 million in yearly bursaries.
The university chose the Jerusalem Declaration over the IHRA anti-Semitism definition, which the foundation had made a condition of its support. The episode highlights how wealth generated under apartheid is being used to pressure South African academia over its stance on Palestinian rights. The funding gap falls hardest on Black students who rely on public aid and private bursaries. The author argues that universities must protect academic independence while seeking alternative financing to shield students from punitive donor actions.
Why it matters
It shows how donor conditions can threaten university funding and academic freedom, especially for disadvantaged students.
In this story