WATCH | Thousands of CPUT students vacate accommodation due to violent disruptions

Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) students who complied with management to vacate premises have been stranded at a bus stop since 7am on Friday.

Student Luciano Moimo said: “I’ve been here for close to 10 hours. I’m one of the first people that got here at 7am. They did not provide us with nothing, no food, no water, nothing”.

It’s not clear how CPUT will proceed with lectures for the rest of the term.

Thamsanqa Zondi, student representative council secretary-general, is one of the students who refuses to leave.

“We don’t know what their position is, the students are going home, they don’t even know what is going to happen. However, we expect to move to online learning. If that happens we expect the management to provide all materials needed for online learning, but we are worried because the country is facing load-shedding,” he said.

This came after management ordered an immediate halt to all campus operations and academic activities on Thursday, citing “continued violent disruptions” by unruly students. 

The institution said all residences must be vacated by 4pm on Friday. 

“Continued violent disruptions, torching of buildings and wanton attacks on institutional infrastructure have forced university management to close all campuses indefinitely,” CPUT said in a message to staff and students. 

“Unruly students, acting in bad faith, with the sole purpose of making the university dysfunctional, have left management with no choice but to act decisively. The safety of staff and students is our primary concern at this stage.” 

There has also been unrest at the University of the Western Cape (UWC).