UCT seeks identities of poo throwers
UCT IS investigating whether the people who threwfaeces inside five of its buildings can be identified.
The incidents happened in the early hours of yesterday and, according to an announcement on the university website, small groups of people had entered the Robert Leslie Social Science, Robert Leslie Commerce, Menzies, Beattie and the Chemical Engineering Building, all of which are situated on the upper campus, and threw sewage into them.
In a message to the campus community, vice-chancellor Dr Max Price, wrote: “I wish to express my abhorrence at this action – which I know is shared strongly by the staff and students who had to navigate these spaces this morning, as well as the cleaning staff who removed the faeces.
“Not only is flinging poo around a dangerous health hazard; it is also an affront to our shared humanity”.
He said university campuses had become theatres within which wider national political issues were being staged.
“Anger and rage are palpable, sometimes for good reason. And undoubtedly there are university-specific issues that need our attention.
“It’s a volatile and difficult time all-round – which is why it is especially important to assert and defend as vigorously as we can what our universities stand for.”
UCT spokeswoman Pat Lucas said classes and other operations on campus had continued.