CPUT students awaiting accommodation march to Parliament in protest.
Image: Armand Hough, Independent Newspapers
Cape Town - The Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) has announced that it has cleared its residency backlog ahead of the ministerial deadline.
This has been met with resistance from the student leadership, who claim accommodation provided was in need of repair, while the university said it would not be changing its status on those who were declined residence, as the appeals process was complete.
The announcement comes weeks after two police officers were wounded, infrastructure damaged and one person arrested for public violence during violent clashes with security over accommodation.
The university said it followed the support by Higher Education Minister, Nobuhle Nkabane, and officials from the Department of Higher Education and Training, who visited the campus last week during its process of placement.
CPUT spokesperson, Lauren Kansley, said: “We are pleased to report that after two days of intense work, the Cape Peninsula University of Technology has placed all eligible students into residence or temporary accommodation. By February 26 all students were successfully transported to their allocated accommodation sites, and no students remained in the District Six Student Centre.
“The institution is appreciative of the support from Higher Education Minister Dr Nobuhle Nkabane and officials from the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) who visited that campus and engaged with CPUT Executive Management on the institutional efforts to place all applicants.
“During that engagement the DHET Director-General, Dr Nkosinathi Sishi, thanked CPUT staff for the diligence which was applied to the issue.
“CPUT was able to meet the demand for accommodation through a number of ways including by moving students into post-graduate residences, expediting the maintenance projects of our own university-owned and operated residences, and by placing some in temporary accommodation as they await permanent placement.”
CPUT Vice-Chancellor, Professor Chris Nhlapo, wrote to Nkabane to inform her of the progress made and that the issue has been resolved earlier than the five-day deadline.
“We share DHET’s stance that no academically deserving student is overlooked due to accommodation challenges,” he said.
“CPUT has always been compassionate to our students, who we understand travel far because they recognise that our university is a quality institution.
"We look forward to working together with the minister and her department to ensure that long-term solutions to this sector-wide accommodation issue are sought," he said.
“It is important to note that only eligible students have been placed into residence.
"The status of those who have been declined will not change, they have been informed of such and they have been notified to seek alternative accommodation.
"The residence appeals process has now ended, and the university has worked against the clock to place those who were successful.
“We appreciate the patience of all our staff and students who have not allowed the challenges of this term to negatively impact the institutional processes or the academic project.”
The Cape Argus spoke with student leadership at the District Six Campus, who asked not to be identified in fear of victimisation, who claimed the temporary residency provided was not adequate.
“The institution is lying, they are placing people into temporary residence, so they are saying, but these rooms are not conducive for living as it is supposed to be renovated, some of these rooms do not have windows, the doors do not lock, the showers are not working,” they said.
“These students are squatting in these rooms. Some were told to leave because they do not have funds.”