Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) has closed all its campuses until further notice and ordered students to vacate university residences after violence intensified and the burning of a building at its Bellville campus.
In a communique issued to staff and students on Tuesday, 18 August, CPUT management said fire officials responded to a fire at the Old Education building at the Bellville campus on Monday evening.
The university described the incident as the latest arson attack.
CPUT added that while no one was injured in the incident, it warned that the escalating violence could result in serious injury or loss of life.
“Continued violent disruptions, torching of buildings, and malicious attacks on institutional infrastructure, have forced university management to close all campuses until further notice and immediately evacuate the residences,” management said.
CPUT said all academic activities would cease with immediate effect, while staff would continue working from home.
Essential workers and selected support staff required for campus operations would be contacted through their respective line managers, the university said.
Students given 24 hours to leave residences
All CPUT residences must be vacated within 24 hours, with students required to leave by 4pm on Wednesday, 19 August.
The university said residences would be closed after the evacuation.
CPUT said the decision was taken as a safety measure amid what it described as escalating violence and disruptions.
“Management remains focussed on finding a solution to conclude the academic year as soon as possible,” the university said.
Image: Ayanda Ndamane/ANA Studios
Damage to university infrastructure
The latest announcement comes after a warning was issued to CPUT staff on Monday, by the university’s Protection and Risk Services.
In that communication, staff were reminded to ensure that windows and shutters were securely closed at the end of each working day.
The university said it had suffered infrastructure damage during recent student protests and claimed that some facilities had been exposed to security risks because windows and shutters had been left open.
Staff were warned that loss, theft or damage to CPUT property resulting from a failure to secure windows and shutters could constitute negligence and potentially result in consequence management under university policies.
The university’s latest decision comes as the disruption has escalated to the point where management says it can no longer guarantee the safety of students and staff on campus.
CPUT said the evacuation was intended to de-escalate the violence and protect lives.
“The safety of our campus community is our top priority and the evacuation is now our only option to de-escalate the violence and protect lives,” management said.
The university urged staff and students to support its efforts to resolve the situation and save the academic year.
