The start of the 2022 academic year has seen UCT right at the centre of controversy that has resulted in ongoing protest action by UCT students. In a recent statement by UCT Vice-Chancellor Mamokgethi Phakeng, she believes there to be two reasons behind this growing unrest.
The first reason can be attributed to recent allegations laid against a prominent member of UCT’s leadership council, for which an investigation has reportedly been launched. More Information regarding this matter can be found here.
The second reason behind the protests has been in regards to UCT fee blocks. At the end of each academic year, UCT resorts to blocking students with an accumulated fee debt of R1 000 and higher, from accessing their year-end marks and from re-registering for their courses in the following year.
This has been a matter of contempt for UCT students for years now, and 2022 has been no different. Students have once again found that their ability to re-register for the 2022 academic year has been prohibited due to fee debt.
Given the student debt crisis that consistently plagues university students in South Africa, students have gone on to express their disappointment in this policy through action.
This, along with the allegations against a student leader, are said to be the reason behind the student body protest staged on the 1st of February, when the allegations had initially been publicized. Another protest was then staged by the UCT Students’ Representative Council (SRC) on the 2nd of February.
As of 3 of February, both issues are said to have been brought up to the relevant authorities to advise on the situation.
