Protests and student demonstrations marred the start of the academic year at the University of Cape Town (UCT) and the University of the Western Cape (UWC).
Both institutions promised to continue engaging with student leaders with regard to their concerns.
At UCT, students embarked on a second day of protests related to student accommodation and fee blocks.
A fee block is when a student is blocked from returning to their studies because of outstanding fees.
The Student Representative Council (SRC) said the disruptions were related to student housing, fee blocks and issues with the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS).
The SRC requested an emergency meeting with the university’s council and made several demands, including lifting fee blocks before the commencement of the 2023 academic year.
“After the fee block is lifted, the registration period must stay open for at least five working days. Students [who are academically eligible to continue and] who have been excluded from residences must be provided with student housing. UCT must conduct a policy review in which fee blocks and financial exclusions are eradicated indefinitely,” it said.
The SRC said academic work should be suspended until fee blocks were removed.
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UCT announced that its teaching and learning programmes had moved online until further notice.
The vice-chairperson of ActionSA UCT, Matthew George, said: “We would like to express our concern about the unsustainable frequency of these protests directed towards the institution, as well as the merits of their recurring objectives, which, upon honest reflection, make finding a lasting solution impractical when considering the prevailing fiscal realities.”
On Tuesday, the university said its executive would continue engaging with the SRC to resolve the issues.
The protests by students forced the institution to temporarily suspend its shuttle service because some roads on campus were inaccessible, according to the university.
In a previous statement released by the university late Monday evening, it strongly condemned the protest.
“While UCT continues to uphold the constitutional right to protest action, it is of concern that the nature of some of the disruptive action on campus today falls outside the bounds of lawful protest. The management of the university calls on the student leadership and anyone participating in protest actions to do so within the confines of the law,” it said.
Meanwhile, at UWC, students called for the institution to suspend campus activity and demanded that students with outstanding fees be allowed to register for the new academic year.
Zeke Wareley, a UWC student, said: “This peaceful protest is justified, given the frustrations faced by students who are unable to register and move into their accommodation spaces. The academic calendar commenced yesterday, but thousands of students are being left behind.
“No communication on the extension of registration was sent by the university as yet, but I hope and trust that they will take a decision that will serve the interests of poor and working-class students at the institution.”
The spokesperson for UWC, Gasant Abarder, told News24 the university management and SRC were engaging on issues regarding registration and accommodation.
“There were demonstrations throughout Tuesday, which caused minor disruptions, but classes could continue. Regarding the issues, the university management and the student leaders will continue engaging on these matters. Everything is currently calm,” he said.
News24
