SALDRU researchers, Andrew Kerr, Vimal Ranchhod an Patrizio Piraino have conducted a study to estimate the extent and targeting of affirmative action in admissions at UCT. Kerr was the lead researcher on the study.
The study finds that affirmative action has a significant effect on the racial distribution of who is made an offer by the university.
Our researchers find that affirmative action is well targeted, with those who they estimate to be beneficiaries being of much lower socioeconomic status than those who they estimate are displaced by affirmative action.
However, beneficiaries of affirmative action have low graduation rates on average, with those beneficiaries who attend UCT being less likely to graduate than those beneficiaries who enrol at other public universities.
The study was recently published in the South African Journal of Economics. Read it here.