CAMPUS CHAOS: ‘Throwing students to the wolves’ Parliament slams CPUT over evictions after protests
CPUT crisis deepens — students cry foul over eviction of residents who have no transportation funds. Parliament says the university is putting students’ lives at risk after CPUT ordered students to evacuate its accommodations in the wake of protests that led to more than R1m in damages.
Parliament has accused Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) of putting students' lives at risk by evicting residents who lack transportation funds following protests. The university ordered students to evacuate university accommodations in response to a financial recovery plan that would require postgraduate and unfunded students to pay an upfront R7,000 fee. Despite CPUT withdrawing the plan, students have refused to leave their homes, demanding an unconditional withdrawal of the financial recovery plan.
Parliament's Chairperson of the Higher Education Committee, Tebogo Letsie, has criticized CPUT's actions, saying that the university should have consulted broadly before making the decision. He believes the protests could have been avoided if there had been more dialogue between the institution and the students. Letsie warned that sending away students with short notice puts their lives in danger, comparing it to "throwing them to the wolves."
CPUT spokesperson Lauren Kansley defended the decision to evacuate students, stating that the evacuation is necessary to de-escalate the violence and protect lives. She acknowledged that transportation was not considered in the evacuation plan, but she argued that the situation had calmed down and a more sane environment was created. Kansley also mentioned that CPUT is heavily indebted with an R2.1-billion student debt burden, and the financial recovery plan is a necessary step for the university's financial stability.
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