Campus updates
Thursday, 9 November
09 November 201717:00
On the night of 8 November, a crowd of over 70 students congregated at the steps in front of Memorial Hall as part of a night vigil. The South African Police Service was called to the scene and monitored the meeting from a distance.
During the evening, protesters set bins alight at the Cissie Gool Plaza food court and the Steve Biko Students’ Union. Campus Protection Services (CPS) officers extinguished the fires with the help of private security staff.
A fire hydrant was discharged in front of Ikhaya Day House, which flooded the lift and the first level, with water running down the roof of the Otto Beit Building. Maintenance staff responded to the situation.
A fire alarm at the AC Jordan Building was responded to by a CPS officer and the fire department. It was later found that there was no fire, and that an extinguisher had been discharged.
Protesters also overturned the CPS kiosk on Woolsack Drive. CPS officers managed to remove the obstruction and it was later taken to Burnage House on lower campus. A window pane on the north side of the middle campus was broken.
Students also notified CPS that taps had been left running and basins blocked with toilet paper in Graça Machel Hall. Sub wardens managed to clean the area.
The Groote Schuur Community Improvement District (GSCID) kiosk in Cecil Road was also overturned by protesters and damaged. The kiosk was removed by the GSCID.
Read the campus announcement ...
09:30
UCT Libraries and all branch libraries are open, except for the Library Learning Lounge. The Hlanganani 24/7 Study Area will be open tonight.
07:00
Classes, tests and exams proceed as scheduled, but course conveners may postpone or cancel events at their discretion in the interests of safety. The Jammie Shuttles are running without interruptions.
The Library Learning Lounge and Hiddingh Library are closed today but all other libraries are open. The Hlanganani 24/7 Study Area will be open tonight and over the weekend. All libraries will be open tomorrow except Hiddingh Library and the Music Library.
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Campus Updates – October and November 2017
UCT recognises the right to engage in legitimate and peaceful protest and urges protesters to respect the rights of other members of the campus community to attend classes and arrive at work.
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In a statement to UCT students, Vice-Chancellor Dr Max Price said:
“I wish no student to be ignorant about what constitutes unlawful protest behaviour.
Disruption of classes, blocking of entrances or exits, interfering with traffic flow, putting up barricades that prevent people from conducting normal business or attending classes, and any form of intimidation – whether physical or verbal – is unlawful.”