CPUT head on special leave

Could Prins Nevhutalu be the first university vice-chancellor to fall?

It has emerged that Nevhutalu, head of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, has been placed on "special leave".

#FeesMustFall protesters, who say he has failed the institution, have repeatedly called for him to resign.

At a general assembly of students and staff of the university on Thursday, one of the points on the agenda was "Nevhutalu must fall".

Near-chaos erupted when Nevhutalu tried to leave the hall to answer his phone. Protesters demanded that he stay until all their grievances had been heard.

• Petrol bombs found at Wits‚ as campuses burn around SAThree petrol bombs were found on campus as the University of the Witwatersrand prepared to continue with academic activities on Wednesday.

On Sunday, in an e-mailed notice to staff and students, the chairman of the university council, Mbulelo Bikwani, wrote: "Please note that the council has placed the vice chancellor, Dr Prins Nevhutalu, on special leave from October 21 2016 until further notice."

Yesterday, Bikwani refused to say why Nevhutalu was sent on leave a day after the general assembly.

"I can't confirm anything, I will confirm something after the executive council meeting that's happening tonight (last night)," said Bikwani.

He said that the council would discuss "the whole issue of problems at the university" and the calls by protesters for Nevhutalu to step down.

Nevhutalu could not be reached for comment.

• CPUT management meets to map way forward after violent clashesCape Peninsula University of Technology management is currently in a meeting to map the way forward after students forced a shutdown of both its Cape Town and the Bellville campuses.

Five vehicles at the university's Bellville campus were torched on Sunday, allegedly by disgruntled security guards.

It is believed that the university did not renew the contracts of some security companies and they retaliated with violence.

University spokesman Lauren Kansley said the university was aware of the allegations and would investigate.

Miguel Joao, employed by one of the security firms whose men patrol the campus, said his car was one of those set alight.

• CPUT holds indaba but stays closedStudents and staff at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology met on Friday to discuss solutions to the crisis on CPUT campuses.

"It is like they think we took their jobs," said Joao.

He said he was worried but maintained he had done nothing wrong.

"If it were my wife or children, I would be very stressed. But it is not a human being, it is a car and it can be replaced."