CAPE TOWN, Western Cape — The Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) has suspended all academic operations and issued a controversial 24-hour student evacuation order for campus residences, intensifying an ongoing crisis fueled by violent protests and recent arson attacks. As university management prioritizes immediate campus safety, the Student Representative Council (SRC) is actively defying the directive, setting the stage for a prolonged institutional standoff.
The tipping point occurred on Monday night when an arson attack completely destroyed the Old Education building at the Bellville campus, which houses the paramedical science department. The blaze, which caused an estimated R1 million in damages, capped a week of escalating unrest across the Bellville, District Six, and Wellington campuses. The disturbances have been marked by widespread property damage, flooded facilities, blocked entry points, and alarming reports of fire trucks being stoned while attempting to respond to the blazes.
CPUT spokesperson Lauren Kensley defended the 24-hour vacate order as a critical, albeit difficult, decision designed to de-escalate extreme violence. Kensley emphasized that the directive was a safety-focused “evacuation,” not an “eviction.” She described the initial outcome as a success, noting that campuses remained calm overnight and many students voluntarily departed via flights, buses, or were collected by parents. According to Kensley, intelligence indicated that violence was likely to continue, and because the student body could not guarantee who had infiltrated their ranks, management had to act to protect the broader community of 40,000 staff and students.
In sharp contrast, CPUT SRC general secretary Ababalwe Bangiso firmly rejected the evacuation deadline, declaring that no student would be forced out and that operations must remain halted until all student demands are met. Bangiso argued that students hold a valid 10-month contractual agreement for their residences. The SRC highlighted the severe logistical and financial hardships a sudden departure would cause, particularly for international students lacking immediate travel funds, nursing faculty members who risk losing critical clinical hours required for graduation, and students placed in external work programs by the institution.
Bangiso categorically denied that the student collective was responsible for the vandalism. The SRC alleges that a “third hand,” including heavily armed private security personnel, is orchestrating the destruction, pointing to the discovery of bullet casings on campus as evidence that unarmed students are being framed. Furthermore, Bangiso accused university leadership of a communication blackout, stating that management has ignored repeated emails and falsely claimed in public that a resolution meeting had taken place. The SRC also took issue with public statements allegedly made by the university spokesperson that disparaged students.
Underpinning the immediate crisis are systemic funding grievances. Bangiso pointed to inefficiencies within NSFAS, exorbitant accommodation costs, and mid-year defunding as primary drivers of the massive student debt crisis. The SRC is demanding that the university withdraw its proposed financial recovery plan and is welcoming a forthcoming engagement with a departmental delegation to address these broader, generational challenges.
Addressing the contentious issue of withheld academic records, Kensley clarified the institution’s long-standing policy. She confirmed that students with outstanding debt are still permitted to graduate, walk the stage, and receive a “certificate of completion” to secure employment. However, the official academic record is withheld. Kensley explained that this measure is the only viable mechanism for the university to incentivize repayment and recover from its staggering R2.1 billion student debt burden.
Looking ahead, the resumption of the academic calendar remains entirely contingent on the restoration of physical security across all campuses. While CPUT possesses the infrastructure to pivot to online learning, management stressed that inviting the campus community back is impossible until absolute safety can be guaranteed. Until those conditions are met, the standoff between the student body and university administration remains at an impasse.
