CPUT Closes All Campuses, Orders Mass Student Evacuation After Arson Attack

Fire officials responded to the blaze on Monday evening, 17 August. No injuries were reported in the latest attack, but university management warned that the level of violence was now escalating to a point where someone could be seriously injured or worse.

A Campus in Crisis

The shutdown comes after weeks of escalating protests over CPUT's proposed 2027 financial recovery plan, designed to address the university's R4.2 billion debt. Under the plan, students would be required to pay a mandatory registration fee of R7,000 and a portion of their outstanding arrears upfront, while the option to register by signing a debt pledge would no longer be available.

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Student leaders have described the proposals as a form of "financial exclusion" that will make higher education inaccessible for thousands of students from poor and working-class backgrounds. More than 1,000 students gathered at the District Six campus during the protests, with students from different residences mobilising before joining the wider demonstrations.

CPUT subsequently withdrew its draft financial recovery plan, but the situation deteriorated further after the Old Education building was set alight. The university estimated that damage from the protests had already cost around R400,000 to repair.

"No Other Choice"

In a communique issued to staff and students, CPUT management said: "Continued violent disruptions, torching of buildings, and malicious attacks on institutional infrastructure, have forced university management to close all campuses until further notice and immediately evacuate the residences."

"Unruly individuals, acting in bad faith, with the sole purpose of making the university dysfunctional, have left Management with no other choice but to act swiftly and decisively," the university said.

All academic activities have been suspended with immediate effect, while staff have been instructed to work remotely. Essential workers and selected support staff required for campus operations will be notified by their line managers.

Students have been instructed to vacate all university residences by 4pm on Wednesday, 19 August, after which the residences will be closed.

Safety and De-escalation

CPUT spokesperson Lauren Kansley said the decision to evacuate was ultimately about preventing further harm. "The doors to meaningful and constructive engagement remain open; however, we feel the evacuation is a necessary step to de-escalate the violence."

Management said the evacuation was necessary to protect students and staff. "The safety of our campus community is our top priority and the evacuation is now our only option to de-escalate the violence and protect lives."

Minister Steps In

Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela has directed a departmental team to facilitate urgent engagement between CPUT management, its council and student leadership.

Manamela condemned the destruction of university property, violence and intimidation while acknowledging that students have legitimate concerns about affordability and living and learning conditions. "The immediate priority is to bring the parties around the table, establish the facts and find a way forward that allows the academic programme to resume," he said.

"We cannot allow an impasse to become a permanent disruption to the academic year. We need responsible leadership from all sides and a commitment to resolving these matters through dialogue rather than confrontation," added Manamela.

Student Resistance

Despite the university's evacuation order, student leaders have insisted that no student will vacate residences. Central Student Representative Council president Liyabulela Gela said: "No student is going to leave their residences and vacate because it is illogical. This is their opportunity to make sure that there's no students on campus so that they can proceed to their steps of approval of the financial recovery plan."

About 500 students marched to Parliament on Tuesday to hand over a memorandum with 23 demands, including a request for the parliamentary portfolio committee to intervene and investigate issues relating to CPUT's finances and management. The memorandum was received and signed by the committee chairperson, with students giving the committee until next Tuesday to respond.

Students have also called on the university to provide a R2,000 travel allowance to help them get home safely, arguing that a standard shuttle service would not work for everyone, particularly for those from other provinces and rural areas. They also requested that the university consider the cost of returning to Cape Town when operations resume: "Students should not have to face the same financial and transportation difficulties twice."

What Comes Next

The closure comes at a critical point in the academic year, raising questions about whether students will be able to complete their studies and graduate on time. Management said it remained focused on finding a solution that would allow the academic year to conclude as soon as possible.

"We ask for your support as we do everything in our power to save our CPUT," the university said.

The crisis draws parallels with a similar shutdown at CPUT in 2023, which also involved bus and transport arrangements for students. For now, the immediate challenge is getting students safely out of residences, while the broader question of how South Africa funds higher education for vulnerable students remains unresolved.

With reporting from The Witness, African News Agency, EWN, Cape Argus, The Citizen, Cape Town ETC, BusinessTech, the South African Government and News24.