UCT lectures halted by student protests over fee blocks, housing

University of Cape Town (UCT) lectures were halted due to student protests outside campus on Monday over fee debts and accommodation grievances.

UCT said it had noted a pattern of events over the past few weeks leading up to the protest, including posters and graffiti on the upper campus.

“We acknowledge that students have the right to embark on peaceful and legitimate protest action on campus. Regrettably, access to upper campus was restricted and some lectures were affected on Monday morning. Campus protection services were on site and attended to the various disruptive incidences across campuses,” said vice-chancellor Prof Mosa Moshabela.

The EEF student command at UCT rejected an announcement that there would be no lifting of fee blocks or fee concessions in 2025.

“This decision comes weeks after intense negotiation between management and the student representative council (SRC). Shockingly, this decision was made without council deliberation on the matter which is the first time it has happened in a long time. This disregards the need to mitigate the crisis and prevent thousands of student from being financially excluded,” they added.

UCT said the executive communicated with the SRC several times on measures in place to assist financially challenged students who were academically eligible.

The measures included:

• A policy allowing students with debt below R10,000 to register, resulting in about 4,000 students being eligible to register in 2025;
• Internal UCT bursaries and donor funding, which has benefited an eligible 1,316 students with debts of more than R10,000;
• Fee relief measures for NSFAS-eligible students, to the benefit of 1, 171 students; and
• Loan agreements were available for students with debt over R10,000 but uptake was low.

UCT said students occupying residences over the holidays in December and January, were informed of the departure date being Monday, January 20.

“Since UCT residences open for term-time occupation very early in the year, this departure date is necessary to allow sufficient time for cleaning and maintenance work ahead of the commencement of the academic year,” said Moshabela.

Transit accommodation was provided by the university, with first-year students being the priority as 150 beds were secured via an off-campus service provider.

“It should be noted that a small number of students have, for various reasons, reportedly been residing at the SRC offices. About 39 students with outstanding fees were part of this group as at the morning of Thursday, February 13. Given that the SRC offices are not a designated residential space, and in light of the health and safety risks posed by this, UCT cannot allow this practice to continue.”

However, the EFF charged that UCT consistently refused to take responsibility for the crisis and instead shifted the blame onto students, many of whom did not have a place to stay between January 20 and reopening on February 1.

“In recent weeks, violent protests have erupted across the province over fee blocks and accommodation issues. To prevent similar unrest at UCT, the EFFSC, SRC and other student governance structures and political organisations have provided mattresses, blankets and food for affected students.

“While this is not an ideal solution it has been necessary to counter the dehumanising conditions imposed by management,” said the EFF.

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