Cape Town - Professor Francis Petersen, Chair of the Special Executive Task Team, explains the reasons behind the accommodation shortages at the University of Cape Town in 2016.
In a letter, he outlines that the university only has the means to accommodate 6 680 students at residences yet there are in excess of 27 000 students requiring accommodation.
It is stated that students are selected from a waiting list and that, despite what the Rhodes Must Fall movement allege, the students are not given preference according to race or because they are foreign students.
“2015’s figures show that over 75% of students in residence were black; and the indications are that the percentage is expected to be higher this year,” said Petersen.
Petersen has stated three primary reasons for the shortfall in residence spaces for 2016.
“Firstly, the number of first years accepting offers has increased (perhaps as a result of the expectations created nationally of better financial aid and lower fees).
Secondly, students completing deferred exams needed beds while awaiting decisions related to financial aid (the government’s recent allocations to assist students with outstanding debt) and academic exclusion or readmission which are much later than usual due to the deferred exams.
Lastly, the clearance of historic debt has increased the number of returning students. Furthermore, the invasion and occupation by RMF members of the three buildings occupied by Student Housing administration compounded the issues and delayed our ability to respond effectively as several of these offices had to the closed for a number of days,” explained Petersen.
Petersen states that temporary accommodation is provided for students affected by this shortfall. 6 000 students were placed in residences and 2 484 (1400 more than in 2015) students are placed in off-campus accommodation.
Petersen has also outlines reasons behind being unable to engage in constructive communication between the Rhodes Must Fall movement.
“We communicated with them on 4 February, 11 February, 12 February and 14 February. In response RMF has refused all engagements and persisted with their refusal to meet whilst publicly insulting Task Team members and damning the executive for not engaging,” said Petersen
The correspondence between the University and the Rhodes Must Fall movement is available at: http://www.uct.ac.za/usr/news/downloads/2016/2016-02-16_Correspondence_SETT_RMF.pdf
He states that students have failed to comply with demands that they vacate office buildings and allow staff to resume their functions as this is disrupting the functioning of the university. Added to this, there is the criminal issue of vandalism of campus property.
“Yesterday, we saw RMF erecting a shack in the middle of Residence Road in protest about accommodation issues. Several refuse bins were set alight and the traffic came to a standstill. Red spray paint was also used to vandalize statues in Fuller and Smuts Hall residences,” added Petersen.
The letter ends with Petersen stating, “We will not act against protesters who exercise their constitutional right to protest. However, we cannot condone criminal acts, intimidation and the violation of the rights of others. RMF members have a choice to make. Engage in acceptable, lawful protest action or face disciplinary action when you engage in intimidation and criminality.”
IOL MOJO
* Use IOL’s Facebook and Twitter pages to comment on our stories. See links below.