UCT dialogue opens conversation on safety, inclusion and belonging

The dialogue, held in the month of August at the Neville Alexander Building with participants also joining online, was convened in response to concerns about safety, inclusion and belonging arising within the broader national context. Hosted by UCT’s International Academic Programmes Office (IAPO), in partnership with the Office for Inclusivity and Change (OIC), Student Wellness Services (SWS), Campus Protection Services (CPS) and the Student Representative Council (SRC), the engagement created a facilitated space for participants to speak openly about their experiences and understanding of Afrophobia and xenophobia.

The session also connected participants with institutional support and reporting pathways and invited the UCT community to consider how safety, inclusion and belonging can be strengthened through continued engagement.

Understanding Afrophobia and xenophobia

The two-hour hybrid dialogue was facilitated by Dr Stella Musungu and Dr Jill Samukimba, with Loren Van Der Merwe welcoming participants and providing context for the engagement. Musungu encouraged participants to consider Afrophobia within its broader historical and social context, including its intersections with colonialism, racism, discrimination, inequality, power and privilege.

Participants reflected on the relationship between xenophobia and Afrophobia and considered whether Afrophobia more specifically describes hostility directed towards Black African foreign nationals. They also discussed how language, accent, skin tone and perceived nationality can shape experiences of acceptance, exclusion and safety.

From conversation to collective action

The discussion explored a range of social and economic factors that may influence attitudes towards migrants and foreign nationals, including unemployment, poverty and inequality. They also reflected on cultural and linguistic belonging, colourism, stereotyping and the ways prejudice can operate across nationalities, racial identities and cultural communities.

OIC case adviser Sinothandu Hili outlined how incidents of discrimination and violence, including xenophobia and Afrophobia, may be reported. Participants were introduced to the OIC case-reporting tool and formal and informal options for addressing concerns. The involvement of SWS, CPS and the SRC also connected the discussion with UCT’s wellness, safety and student-representation structures. Participants called for the conversation to continue beyond a once-off event. Proposed next steps included bringing student societies together, involving South African and international students in future dialogues, extending facilitated conversations into residences and faculties, creating opportunities for cultural learning and exchange, and strengthening Pan-African and intercultural learning through curricula and extracurricular programmes.

The dialogue closed with recognition that meaningful progress will require shared responsibility across the UCT community. IAPO and OIC will use the themes and proposals emerging from the session to inform further engagement in faculties, residences and student-led spaces.