Cape Town - As the University of Cape Town (UCT) is expected to announce its interim vice-chancellor this week, the university could not state with any confidence that there would be no further disruptive student protest action in the weeks ahead.
The university’s council met on Tuesday over the issue of the institution’s Student Representative Council’s (SRC’s) call to lift all fee blocks and the vacant position of vice-chancellor after Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng left office on March 3 being high on the agenda.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research and Internationalisation Professor Sue Harrison was appointed to act as the vice-chancellor.
Council chairperson Babalwa Ngonyama said this state of affairs would remain in place until an interim vice-chancellor had been appointed.
“We are following the process as prescribed by the UCT statute.
“This requires that, if the office of the vice-chancellor becomes vacant, council, after consulting the senate and the institutional forum, must appoint an interim vice-chancellor to hold office until such time as a new vice-chancellor takes up appointment.
“These consultations are under way, and council will convene during the course of the week ... to make a decision on the appointment,” Ngonyama explained.
UCT spokesperson Elijah Moholola said on Sunday that council had engaged all the relevant stakeholders and would soon make an announcement on the appointment of the interim vice-chancellor.
Meanwhile, the university experienced a number of disruptions last week after the council refused to lift fee blocks imposed on at least 7 000 students.
There were chaotic scenes on campus, where police clashed with students.
Some students held placards reading: “Stop criminalising students acting VC Sue Harrison”
Others wrote: “Life under Sue Harrison, housing evictions and fee crisis.”
“The SRC was shocked by this outcome, as we had presented amicable and feasible solutions to all the concerns raised by management,” the student body said.
“It is enraging that the university management and council have no care for poor and black students who are unable to afford the exorbitant costs that are our tuition and accommodation fees.
“It is further disheartening that the university has declared boldly that only those with deep pockets belong in this institution and deserve to exercise their right to education,” the SRC added.
Moholola said the UCT executive continued to engage with the SRC to explore different measures, along with student representatives, to assist students with fee blocks.
“The executive further remains committed to a process of engagement.
“In addressing fee-block issues, UCT has already lifted the fee block threshold from R1 000 to R10 000 for South African students, which has allowed just over 3 400 students to register.
“A further proposal on managing fee blocks has been put by the UCT executive to the SRC.
“The university is aware of about 1 059 academically eligible students who are yet to register due to fee blocks,” he said.
Cape Times