Support staff at the University of Cape Town halted operations on Thursday morning to protest a proposed 3.5% wage increase, demanding 7% instead along with fairer treatment compared to academic staff. Unions including Nehawu and the UCT Employees Union marched to deliver a memorandum to Vice-Chancellor Professor Mosa Moshabela. Moshabela accepted the demands and promised engagement within 48 hours.
On 26 February 2026, Professional, Administrative and Support Staff (Pass) at the University of Cape Town (UCT) initiated a strike, causing a brief standstill at the institution. Represented by unions such as the National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu), the Democratised Transport Logistics and Allied Workers Union (Detawu), and the UCT Employees Union, the staff gathered at Sarah Baartman Hall before marching to the Bremner Building. They sang struggle songs and expressed frustration over wage disparities and treatment.
The unions rejected UCT's 3.5% wage offer, which they noted contrasts with a 6.5% increase for academic staff. Initially demanding 10%, workers reduced their ask to 7%, but management only moved from 2.8% to 3.5%, leading to no agreement. Thabisa Penze, a Pass member, stated, “We have been fighting with the university for better pay for years. This time around, they have deliberately made it clear that they are not willing to listen to us; they are offering us a 3.5% increase, which we are rejecting, while they offer academic staff 6.5%, which is ridiculous.”
Nehawu branch organiser Paul Gaika explained that attempts to negotiate failed, prompting the strike certificate application. The unions' joint statement highlighted their intent to demonstrate power after feeling undermined, noting UCT's pay philosophy positions academics at the 75th market percentile and Pass staff at the 60th. Additional demands included a R1,500 monthly allowance for deep cleaning duties—rejected by management, who outsourced the role at about R5,600 per employee—and reviews of long service awards, acting allowances, and night shift policies.
Fabian Botman from the Employees Union emphasised the earnings gap: “If you look at a 3.5% increase in terms of what academics are earning and what a 3.5% increase is for a cleaner’s earnings, it’s a massive gap.” Pass staff member Naledi Hlalukana added, “This is so unfair. Lecturers get more, and we are disgruntled about this.”
Vice-Chancellor Professor Mosa Moshabela received the memorandum and addressed the crowd, affirming the value of all staff roles. He said, “Everyone matters,” and committed to discussions within 48 hours, recognising inherited systems but inviting dialogue. This action follows recent student protests over fee blocks, which were resolved swiftly. A meeting between management and unions was anticipated soon after the strike.