The poo literally hit the fan at CPUT when protesting students dumped faeces at the Bellville campus during demonstrations yesterday.
There was also chaos at the University of Cape Town where protesters clashed with security staff, and petrol bombs were thrown late on Tuesday night.
UCT tried to resume classes yesterday morning, but a decision was taken to shut down the varsity for the rest of the week when protesters violently disrupted classes again.
CPUT students on Tuesday warned they would step up the #FeesMustFall protest to “Phase 3” after their failure to secure an interdict against police and the varsity management.
CPUT spokesperson Lauren Kansley says portable toilets were emptied at the institution’s security office at around 4am.
“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,” she explains.
Shortly after 10am, a small group of protesters armed with portaloos stormed the campus’ auditorium where Vice Chancellor Prins Navhutalu was hosting high school students for the 2016 Swedish South African Nobel Inspired Lecture.
Hiding behind sunglasses and jerseys wrapped around their faces, the students spilled poo on the floor and over the buffet breakfast laid out for guests. Those in attendance, including Navhutalu, ran to avoid getting splashed with popo.
Quality When asked where the faeces came from, one of the protesters would only say: “Eish my sister, these things are organised well before time.”
He added: “We had to make Navhutalu experience what we go through and the kind of future that awaits us in Khayelitsha if they do not give us access to quality free education.” Kansley says about 20 students were escorted from the campus following this incident. No arrests were made.
Hours later, the institution instructed all employees to leave for their own safety as large groups of students marched on campus, armed with sticks and blocking cars from entering the campus.
A meeting between protest leaders and Navhutalu ended abruptly yesterday afternoon when the two parties could not agree on a resolution. Students are demanding that CPUT reinstate two of their leaders who were suspended during last year’s demonstrations.
Meanwhile at UCT, violence erupted on Tuesday night when protesters were prevented from entering the Steve Biko Students’ Union building, where protest leaders have been operating from in the last few weeks.
“They started throwing stones at the security staff and attacking security guards with sticks,” says UCT spokeswoman Gerda Kruger.
“They stormed the building, breaking doors, at level 6, and windows, at level 5, of the building.
“The security 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.”
As classes resumed, protesting students went around lecture halls disrupting classes and using fire extinguishers to remove non-protesting students. University management then decided to close the institution before more damage was done.
University of Western Cape management yesterday also announced a decision to suspend classes and tests for the rest of the week following continued disruptions to lectures. Cancel P ro t e s t e rs o n c e a g a i n blocked entrances to the institution with rubble and a trailer preventing cars from entering.
UWC spokesperson , Luthando Tyhalibongo, says: “We have suspended classes and tests until Monday. “The first lecturers for the day were disrupted so a decision was made to cancel and have discussions with students.”
Classes at all the universities have been suspended since Monday when students began protesting, demanding no fee increases for 2017. This after Minister for Higher Education Blade Nzimande announced a fee increase of 8 percent to those who can afford it.