Cape Peninsula University of Technology shuts campuses and evacuates students

The Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) has suspended all academic activities and ordered the immediate evacuation of all student residences. This decision follows an arson attack at the Bellville campus, where fire officials responded to a blaze at the Old Education building.

University management stated that the closure is a necessary measure to ensure the safety of staff and students due to escalating violence and disruptions. The institution described the unrest, which includes the torching of buildings and attacks on infrastructure, as being driven by individuals intent on making the university dysfunctional. The protests are reportedly linked to the university’s financial recovery plans and its R4.2 billion debt.

Students have been instructed to vacate residences by 16:00 on Wednesday, 19 August. In response to the sudden displacement, some students are requesting a R2,000 travel allowance or transport voucher. They argue that standard university shuttle services may not be sufficient for those traveling to distant provinces or rural areas, and that a cash allowance would allow them to secure safer, more direct travel via buses, taxis, or flights.