The Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training got a glimpse of what is happening at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) on Wednesday.
The university came to brief the Committee, alongside Mangosuthu University of Technology and the University of Zululand, on challenges related to governance at the institutions.
Acting Vice-Chancellor, Dr Chris Nhlapho, told the Committee that it was only a handful of students who were involved in protests, and that they are being used by political parties like Pasma (Pan Africanist Student Movement of Azania) and the Economic Freedom Fighters.
“There are two issues that the students are raising, the insourcing of workers and the charges laid against students who led protests last year. The management is clear that it will not do so, they will have to undergo a disciplinary process,” he said.
Dr Nhlapho said in the case of the workers, management was clear that it is an unprotected strike and the principle of no work no pay would apply. “This is a small group but very disruptive,” he said and appealed to political parties to assist and reign in on their student wings.
Committee member Ms Julia Killian said it was good that the management team was committed to restore a conducive learning environment at CPUT. “Universities are used as green shoot development for political parties and this creates chaos. We do not want to rebuild infrastructure every year,” she said.
Members also sought clarity on whether exams had been deferred as a result of the current wave of protests. Clarity was also sought on why no vice-chancellor seemed to last at the institution and on the allegations that the university employed non-South Africans.
The Committee will later receive a briefing from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme, Intellimali, and the Walter Sisulu University on the R14 million that was erroneously paid to a single student.
By Sibongile Maputi
14 September 2017
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