CPUT dismisses student protest outside SONA venue as attention stunt

The Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) has dismissed last week’s student protest outside the State of the Nation Address (SONA) venue as nothing more than a stunt for attention.

Hundreds of students gathered peacefully outside Cape Town City Hall last Thursday, hoping to catch the attention of President Cyril Ramaphosa.

They said there's an ongoing accommodation crisis at the university.

ALSO READ: 'No student will sleep outside': Manamela responds to CPUT housing crisis

Students also complained about poor living conditions and claimed some were evicted by CPUT from a private residence.

CPUT has rejected these claims, saying the protest misrepresented the facts.

The institution's spokesperson, Lauren Kansley, said only a handful of the protesting students were without beds and those students were assisted.

She added that the main issue is students who arrive late without approved accommodation and still expect to be placed.

Kansley maintained that the university has processes in place to allocate residence space to funded students and those doing well academically.

"So, there is a new rule within NSFAS [National Student Financial Aid Scheme] where they expect you to be passing 60% of your subject load, sometimes that has excluded some students and, of course, they are not happy about that."

The university said it remains committed to engaging students through formal channels to support qualifying students.