CPUT students reject order to vacate residences
Cape Town - Despite an instruction from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) that students had to vacate their residences by the weekend amid protests, Student Representative Council (SRC) president Mpfunzeni Ramano said students “were not going anywhere”.
As protest action continued at the university this week, CPUT suspended all academic activity, shut all campuses indefinitely, instructed that residences had to be evacuated by Friday, May 12, and postponed its Open Day set for Saturday, May 13.
On Wednesday CPUT obtained an interdict in the Western Cape High Court against the SRC, as well as Ramano, that they may not disrupt university operations.
“We have seen the interdict and are going through it. As the students we have met and decided we are not going anywhere.
“No student is going to be vacated. We met with management on Wednesday but nothing materialised.
“As the SRC we have tried to bring the issues to them including NSFAS funding, congested accommodations, issues with shuttles, and access to campus clinics but no action.
“Students are frustrated, instead of the university sorting out things they are intimidating us with police and private security”’ said Ramano.
South African Union of Students (Saus) national spokesperson, Asive Dlanjwa, said they would arrive in Cape Town on Friday where they were expected to have a meeting with NSFAS.
“We are aware of what is happening in universities including UWC and Nelson Mandela University.
“It’s two sources of issues, administration matters at NSFAS relate to funding conditions that affect accommodation, living and transport allowance.
“We are hoping the meeting will give answers to the challenges because we are also irritated by NSFAS.
“We have raised some of the issues before. Then there are internal or institutional based issues at universities such as safety and security matters. We will issue a statement at the weekend containing the meeting outcomes.”
UWC has also suspended its Open Day set for Saturday, May 13.
Cape Times