CPUT Campuses To Remain Closed For The Day

The Cape Peninsula University of Technology’s (CPUT) campuses will be shut on Monday.

On Friday, lectures at its Bellville campus were disrupted due to protests, which turned ugly, leading to four arrests.

The university’s Lauren Kansley said: “A planned meeting that was planned to take place on Friday where management was due to answer a list of demand did not take place because despite assurances that class disruptions would end, this wasn’t the case. Negotiations must take place in good faith and we hope future meetings will yield good results.”

The institution hopes to resume its academic programme on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande on Sunday called on students not to allow their legitimate grievances to be used by political opportunists.

The minister has reacted to the recent student protests that have gripped some campuses, most notably in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape.

Students are demanding their concerns around historic debt and other issues be addressed urgently.

Some universities have not been able to begin the financial year because of the upheaval.

Nzimande’s spokesperson Ishmael Mnisi said: “The minister is grateful to all stakeholder in KZN and Eastern Cape governments for the assistance they provided to bring stability in the affected institutions. He calls upon political formations to refrain from turning students concerns into political opportunism and manoeuvring.”

EWN