CPUT’s warning to students

THE CAPE Peninsula University of Technology is clamping down on acts of sabotage and said the act of damaging university property affects innocent students’ right to use the facilities and services they require.

According to the institution’s spokesperson, Lauren Kansley, a student was arrested following a flooding at the Bellville campus this week.

“The Bellville Student Centre is currently closed after a flooding incident took place overnight (Thursday night). The building will remain closed until deep cleaning of the space has concluded. The reason for the flood is being investigated by SAPS and one suspect has already been arrested with more arrests expected to follow in due course,” Kansley said.

Earlier this week, students erected shacks on the university premises to highlight problems with accommodation. The shacks were erected on Monday afternoon after the students were evicted from a conference room where they had been staying. The structures were demolished the same day, but students brought in more materials to rebuild.

“We are tired of waiting for the university to respond to our housing needs. They know we have nowhere to sleep but everyday, they expect us to sit at the res office for lists of students to be read out. When do they expect us to attend classes if we are sitting there all day? They need to see our pain and act on it. That is all we ask,” said a student who asked to remain anonymous.

The dean of student affairs, Prem Coopoo, said the university could provide accommodation for only one third of the 35 000 students at CPUT. She also said that over the past year the institution had increased its bed count by 11.5%.

Earlier this week, teaching at two of the university campuses was interrupted by protest action following a one day shutdown the week before. The nursing campus in Athlone has been closed until Monday following protests demanding more security at the college after a number of breakins, shuttles, hours at the library to be extended and an assistant to help.

Twenty-one students were arrested during the violent protest in Athlone during which students blocked the entrance with desks, stoned vehicles and overturned government cars before public order police dispersed the crowd using rubber bullets.

The university has called on all students to come forward should they have any information on “saboteurs”.

ARMAND HOUGH CLIFTON Beach on Valentine’s Day was packed with revellers at the city’s first silent disco of the year, organised by Silent Events. A silent disco or silent rave is an event where people dance to music listened to on wireless headphones. | African News Agency (ANA)

CPUT students erected shacks on campus to protest against an accommodation shortage.