Cape Town - Protest action continued at Cape Town universities on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning with petrol bombs thrown, faeces flung around, lecture halls invaded and students who want to keep studying facing off with protesters.
A stand-off between protesting and non-protesting students took place at the the University of Cape Town on Wednesday morning, as protesting students continued with their attempt to shut down the campus for a third day in a row. This came after the university made a statement expressing its hopes to reopen on Wednesday.
On Wednesday morning students went around to different lecture halls disrupting lectures. They set off fire extinguishers to forcefully remove those students who were continuing with their academic activities.
#UCTshutdown protesting students telling to leave class @TheCapeArgus @CapeTimesSA pic.twitter.com/4xWNUeGSmw
— Tracey Leigh Adams (@Traceyleighadam) October 5, 2016
This came after a night of violent clashes with security and police involving the petrol bombing of several university areas, including the Jammie plaza, and the injury of a security guard.
Meanwhile, at the Cape Peninsula University of Cape Town (CPUT), students dumped human waste at the security office at the Bellville campus on Wednesday morning.
CPUT spokeswoman Lauren Kansley said the incident occurred in the early hours of the morning.
She said: “The Security Office is required to be accessible to all students who may need assistance so it is unfortunate that protesters targeted a space that innocent students may need to access. There are no other major incidents although we are aware that attempts to mobilise are being made. Our security teams are monitoring the situation and we will keep you informed of any updates.”
Kansley said academic programme at all CPUT campuses remained suspended.
Tuesday night's violent uproar at UCT started when students were prevented entry to the Steve Biko Students’ Union building, an SRC building from which they have been operating for the past few weeks.
UCT spokeswoman Gerda Kruger said: “They started throwing stones at the security staff and attacking security guards with sticks. They stormed the building breaking doors, at level 6, and windows, at level 5, of the building.
“The security (staff) tried to protect the building by forming a human chain but it was breached and two students broke through and entered the building. Several petrol bombs were also thrown starting fires in the P9 parking area outside the Steve Biko Students’ Union building.”
But students refuted the university’s claims, saying they were the ones "attacked unnecessarily” by private security staff.
Member of the Progressive SRC Candidate movement Phakamani Ntentema said two of their “cadres” were held hostage for several hours by security staff inside the SRC building.
The SRC building was closed off to students from 4.30pm on Tuesday afternoon, and by 6pm the students began to protest outside the building.
“We wanted them to be released, but security did not want us anywhere close to the building. They fired rubber bullets at us and we retaliated against that; students lost their tempers because of that unjust attack,” said Ntentema.
Kruger said by midnight the number of students protesting outside the building had increased to about 200 people.
“The building was secured with new locks and private security were placed at entrances to ensure the group did not reoccupy the building,” said Kruger.
It was just after midnight when the violence was in full swing and six stun grenades were fired at protesting students.
“Protesters ran amok on upper campus setting several fires. Security tried to extinguish the fires and attempted to disperse the group. One security officer was injured. A member of SAPS was hit by several stones. Six stun grenades were used. The fire was still burning on Jammie plaza,” said Kruger.
UCT has instituted disciplinary action against eight students arrested this week while two other students will also face internal charges for allegedly using their student cards to allow protesters unauthorised access to a building.
At a press conference, vice-chancellor Dr Max Price said the two students arrested on Tuesday had allegedly repeatedly re-established barricades and were also accused of intimidation.
One of these two, he said, was also arrested for allegedly being in contravention of a court order.
“In addition there have been some students who are alleged to have committed offences such as using their student cards to allow people into buildings that should not be allowed into buildings.”
Six students had been arrested on Monday after a lecture was disrupted.
Cape Argus