Cape Town - The Student Representative Council (SRC) at UCT said it would close all dining halls until management provides alternative accommodation for “stranded and squatting” students.
In a statement, the UCT SRC said the residence issue had been due to fee blocks and other related matters.
The SRC said the Student Housing Department issued withdrawals of residence offers to students who owe fees “thus removing the essential resource of accommodation to complete studies at UCT”.
It further stated that the Vacation Accommodation Department also sent emails informing students to vacate on Wednsday at 10am.
The SRC said its Residences Council rejected this act, and appealed to the departments to reconsider their notices, and to allow students to stay until they have been provided with adequate transit residence, as well as to consider fee-blocked students.
“This short notice is inconsiderate of the well-being of students and does not give adequate time for students to make alternative plans.
“We ask that the University Exec reconsider and give students time and enough resources to plan. We are calling all students to not move from their vacation accommodations until the last day of vacation being January 28.”
Annually, UCT makes available accommodation in December and January to students for a number of reasons, including to students writing deferred exams.
Students would need to vacate the premises by a specific date for the process of allocating rooms to new and returning students. Students who owe fees and are currently in residence have been told to vacate their rooms.
The SRC said it was not able to accurately say how many students were affected.
UCT spokesperson Elijah Moholola said the university has noted the issues raised by the SRC and that the university has put in place measures to address outstanding student debt for 2022.
“These measures include a decision by the UCT Council to allow all students with debt of less than R10 000 to register for 2023. Previously, students could only register if they owed less than R1 000,” Moholola said.
A limited budget has also been set aside to assist students financially through the debt appeals process.
“In an effort to assist as many deserving students as possible, projections for 2022 show that at least R1.9 billion (unaudited) has been spent by a number of key financial aid sponsors in support of UCT students. This is an increase of R100 million compared with what UCT spent on student financial aid in 2021.”
Undergraduate appeals will close on February 3, with an outcome expected by February 10.
Meanwhile, UCT academic staff, part of UCT’s Academics’ Union (AU), is preparing to strike over a 3% salary hike offer for the 2023 academic year.
UCT AU, the sole representative of UCT academic staff, said 87% of its 689 members supported a 3-day strike with the potential of further strikes.