The University of the Western Cape has suspended its academic year, saying there is no way classes can resume while protests continue.
Late last night, the Senate Executive Committee of UWC released a statement confirming: “All face-to-face classes are suspended.”
UWC now says: “Students are given a choice of writing their main examinations either in November 2016 or in January 2017.”
The university has not confirmed whether or not registrations for first year students will take place later in 2017.
For now the exams are scheduled to take place on campus but students can choose to write their main examinations next month, or in January.
On Monday, UWC students held talks with management where they discussed their demands, including the scrapping of historical debt, no fee increases, 10GB of data per month and sanitary towels for students.
They gave the university a 48-hour deadline to respond to their demands.
UWC spokesperson Luthando Tyhalibongo said yesterday students went on another rampage after management sent their response to the student leaders.
“There was no police or private security on campus,” he says.
“They burned the laundry section of one of the residences, damaged one of the university buildings as well as a security camera,” he says.
Meanwhile, the 12 CPUT students who were arrested following violent clashes with police last week during student protests have been released.
The group appeared in the dock at the Bellville Magistrates’ Court where they were granted R3000 bail each.