UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN - JUDENFREI?

 

It seems impossible today, as a Jew, to be able to criticize the policies of the nation state Israel while not accepting that it and all Jews should be driven off the planet. That is the situation brewing at the University of Cape Town, (UCT), South Africa. The environment has led to a highly significant reduction in the number of Jewish students that attend, reaching between 20 to 30 percent for the greater part of the twentieth century.  Now it is roughly 1.3 percent.

 UCT now reflects the antisemitic sentiment that is permeating the world. It is quite ok to recognize that Americans can carry on in America even though it is common cause that their current government is corrupt and tending towards authoritarianism. However, all Jews within and without Israel are to be put on the cross as a result of the cabal of Bibi Netanyahu.

THE  OVERALL  PICTURE 

By any standards the fight at UCT, South Africa around antisemitism and Zionism these past years is unique. It appears like a satire of a mob operation. The "territories" include the definition of antisemitism, a boycott of Israeli academics, and a suspended and then installed Professor, (Mendelsohn). Then there is an intertwined trio, with common philosophies. Central to all three is the CEO, (Yach), of the massive Mauberger Foundation. She has connections with the founder, (Sooliman) of a Gift of the Givers organization, who was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the University. The third string is the governing Council of the University where the aforementioned CEO is a key member and which is ultimately responsible for all UCT policy such as the granting of Honorary Doctorates. 

There is now ensuing ongoing litigation between the Professor and The University Council and 31 individuals in their personal capacities as a result of the Council resolutions. Added to that is litigation within the Mauberger Foundation itself. The complaint alleges illegal and fraudulent behavior of the CEO, Dianna Yach and two allies.

This unbelievable saga must also be seen in the context of the extraordinary power that Public Universities have in our modern day society and the hubris exhibited by them.

THE TIME LINE

June 22, 2024: The University Council passed a number of resolutions on antisemitism and Israel. Their resolve had been hardened by the UCT Senate backing. The gist of their decisions  is that they axed the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance. (IHRA) definition of antisemitism which is generally accepted by every major university in the world. They instituted an academic boycott with any institution that had any contact with the Israeli Defense Force or the military establishment. As the latter is central to Israeli society this virtually axed any involvement with Israeli academics. 

August 2024: Professor Adam Mendelsohn entered a complaint in the Western Cape High Court against the University Council and 31 individuals in their personal capacities. Principally he wanted the two resolutions negated for a whole host of reasons including illegality of the process, personal political beliefs posturing as policy, failure to involve stakeholders and withholding of the outcomes of such policies.

November 2024: Following a number of accusations by colleagues against History Professor Mendelsohn, the then head of the Isdore and Theresa Cohen Chair of Jewish Civilization and the Director of the Isaac and Jessie Kaplan Centre for Jewish Studies and Research and the nominated head of an integrated History Department, was suspended. 

Ostensibly this was on the basis of an independent investigation conducted by Zola Mcaciso of MS Inc. The report in fact exonerated Mendelsohn and to this day the Council have refused to release the full report. 

Needless to say this whole issue has been added to the amended litigation. Mcaciso has entered two sworn statements one contradicting the other. She has maintained that her altered statement was as a result of pressure from the Council. 

2025:  A slew of additional allegations by Mendelsohn, amicus briefs for both parties and sworn statements were added to the court docket. These included amicus briefs from Council members indicating the opposing viewpoints within that body, one particularly from Diane Yach who was the glue that connected the conspiracy. The Freedom of Speech Association entered a strong brief in support of the Plaintiff, Mendelsohn. Perjury on the defendants’ side has been alleged. Plaintiff now had arguments to allege that his illegal suspension was on the basis of his August 2024 litigation.

December 22, 2025:  By this time this conflict was a cause celebre on the internet and some conventional media in SouthAfrica. An article published by the South African Broadcasting Corporation of a UCT Convocation Meeting reflects an opinion of a well read columnist. This piece was published and republished earlier. The author is renowned for her critiques of socio-political issues. Convocation is principally made up of alumni.

The Pincer, (the name of the column), by Lerato Mokeona, (a pseudonym), “How UCT became the frontline of a new ideological purge”.

"At UCT convocation…. the word Zionist is a convenient code for Jew… This is not about Gaza it is about the quiet expulsion of Jews from public life….UCT did not have a debate, it exercised a purge…….Jews that do not renounce their identity are not welcome here……history offers many lessons but this one is cruel, Kristalnacht the 2025 edition…. This is not liberation politics….The bitter irony…..Jews contribution to UCT’s excellence over the years has been immense…..this is not a debate about the Middle East….this a campaign against Jewish legitimacy…UCT has simply become the latest battleground….”

December 2025: The three Judge Panel stated that they would consider the Mendelsohn case and would rule when ready. By American standards this is rocket speed. 

March/April 2026:  University of Cape Town Graduation Ceremony where Dr. Imtiaz Sooliman was awarded an honorary doctorate in philosophy. Recipients of these honors reflect the value system and philosophy of a University. His philanthropy in “Gift of the Givers” is undisputed.  He was blunt on his goal as stated on October 25, 2025 at UCT.

“….we had to break the fear we have to break the money and we had to break this the antisemitism, and we know that antisemitism is used to shut you up. So if we stand up against Zionists and they say your’e antisemitic I am 5000 percent antisemitic”. Dr. Sooliman is not on the same page democratically, "I don’t follow international law or human law….I break laws all the time…breaking the law is laws of the West…..”

Jay H. Ell has deliberately left all his references to his faith that he perceives allows him to verbalize his policies. Jay H. Ell condemns the usage of religion as a rationale for all racist behavior. Similarly he renounces the religious violence of the Israeli settlers against the Palestinians on the West Bank.

Dr. Sooliman's organization, Gift of the Givers, received a grant from the Council member Dianna Yach, CEO of the Mauberger Foundation. He is associated with Ms. Reeza Isaacs head of the Financial Committee  of the UCT Council. Both of whom voted for his honor.

April 29, 2026: Professor Mendelsohn finally delivered his inaugural speech as the integrated Professor of History at UCT.

 

The bulk of his message, as a historian, was devoted to the story of the Jews. In the last quarter he quoted some of Dr. Sooliman’s conspiracy theories about Jews and Zionists. In addition to the students voting with their feet he reported that, “….Many Jewish staff despair at the campus climate; the accumulation of slights, insults and ugliness; the ease with which tropes about Jewish money and power as well as other stereotypes are mouthed by colleagues….”

May 4, 2026:  Litigation initiated by family members,  brother Dereck and cousin Steven Levy against the takeover of the Mauberger Foundation by Dianna Yach.

Ms. Yach allegedly forced out two family members and replaced them with allies Igshaan Higgins and Brian Figaji. The Plaintiffs claim that she and her allies failed to follow the provisions of the Mauberger Foundation where the allocation of funds are 50 percent to Israeli entities, 25 percent to South African Jewish Organizations and a similar amount to non Jewish entities. The plaintiffs show that for a number of years the allocation to Israel was far below and that several Jewish entities in South Africa were axed. They further alleged that there was blatant fraud which they back up with forensic evidence. They called for the three to be labelled “Delinquent Directors”. This designation in South Africa is the kiss of death for any further position of trust in any organization or company and can have broad financial implications.  

June 18,2026: Papers were delivered on a Ms. Megan Choritz, a member  for “South African Jews for a Free Palestine", where Professor Mendelson alleged defamation. She claimed inter alia that, he was, “Islamophobic….a supporter of Israel’s genocide in Gaza….should be deplatformed…..looks and sounds exactly like antisemitism…”

July 2026: The outcome of all the litigation is still pending.

DONOR OUTCOME OF UCT’S RESOLUTIONS.

As Mendelsohn’s original complaint alleges, the powers that be withheld the financial implications of their decisions to the full UCT Council where their resolutions were only carried by 14 votes to 13. A remnant of strong Jewish involvement still remains in the donor class to UCT. In fact that is where most of the money is derived from. The tradition established by Alfred Beit way back to start UCT is still ongoing. The most generous donor The Donald Gordon Foundation immediately withdrew their 200,000,000 Rand grant as it was subject to the University sticking to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism. Their offer of an additional 500,000,000 Rand for an Academic Hospital was withdrawn. The Michael and Susan Dell Foundation, an American based fund - the Dells too are Jewish - have axed their 50,000,000 Rand grant. (All in all close on $50,000,000 which goes a long long way in South Africa). It is interesting to note that Dr. Sooliman’s Gift of the Givers nor Ms.Yach’s Mauberger Foundation were listed as meaningful donors.

The Vice Chancellor and Principal of UCT, Mosa Moshabela, went to Parliament to complain about these losses but hasn’t received the money for the shortfall.

AT THE END OF THE DAY

In the irony of all ironies the offer of the Academic Hospital has been made to the University of Stellenbosch, where Jewish students are now electing to attend. Stellenbosch in times gone by was the epicenter of apartheid. It is where the mocking nickname “Ikey” was used for all students at UCT because of their high enrollment of Jews. How times change.

Assuming Dr. Sooliman is correct will South Africa take 8,000,000 Jewish refugees of all colors and with some fundamentalists like him? In 1938 with impending doom for Jews, 38 countries met at Evian, France. Not one of them accepted to take one more Jew above their overall  immigration quota.

UCT is not quite Judenfrei yet.

Jay H. Ell has a conflict of interest. It will be noted at the side of this blog that he was, a columnist at UCT in his student days.