Cape Town - The start of the 2022 academic year has seen UCT at the centre of controversy that has resulted in ongoing protests by students.
This after the university blocked students with an accumulated fee debt of R10 000 and higher from accessing their year-end marks and from re-registering for their courses.
UCT SRC's acting president, Siya Plaatjie, said the SRC has been in negotiation with management regarding the issue.
"Unfortunately, the SRC was revoked of access to a crucial council executive committee meeting which sat on Thursday.“
“Practically, this meant there was no student representation at that meeting and the silencing of students' voices,” Plaatjie said.
She said as a result, the SRC took protest action on Friday in order to assure management they would not stand down on the issue.
UCT Vice-Chancellor Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng, said: “These protests are led by our SRC, and centre on the exclusion of students who have outstanding debt of more than R10 000 from registering for the new academic year.”
Phakeng said they have endorsed the role of the SRC in raising issues of concern to students, and recognised the right to peaceful protest.
She said the exclusion of students who have outstanding fee debt was a difficult and contentious issue for the university.
“On the one hand, we know many students and their families find it hard to cover the costs of gaining university education,” she said.
Phakeng said those difficulties have been exacerbated by the reduction in National Student Financial Aid Scheme funding, inflation and the devastating economic effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“In response to the SRC’s representations, the chair of council has agreed to call a special meeting of council to reconsider the current fee debt policies,” said Phakeng.
She said that will take place on February 21, when the council will consider a proposal from the executive director of finance as to how their approach to student fee debt can be modified, such that it ensured they provide relief to students who have demonstrable need and are in a position to complete their studies at UCT.