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Campus shutdowns have come to define the commencement of the academic year at the University of Cape Town and true to tradition, the unfolding developments across campus are an exact repeat of the recurring challenges faced by the University and its students. 

At the centre of the current crisis is access to institutions of higher learning, a difficulty which disproportionately affects the poor and missing middle students. Yet another failure of the ANC-led Government, what we find most tragic is that by failing to overhaul our broken education system, the Government has deprived many aspiring graduates of a better future. 

In keeping with our organisational commitment, we will continue to advocate for the adoption of a sustainable solution that protects academically deserving students from the crushing prospect of exclusion. Our aim will be to support any meaningful initiative that endeavours to set in place a measured policy framework that will mitigate the risk of an annual showdown between students and management.

Importantly, we would like to emphasise the need to conduct any protest action with due regard to the provisions set out in the Constitution. Equally, we hold the view that any protest action that infringes on the rights of others warrants condemnation.

We would like to express our concern about the unsustainable frequency of these protests directed towards the institution, as well as the merits of their recurring objectives, which, upon honest reflection, make finding a lasting solution impractical when considering the prevailing fiscal realities.

Our call is for the establishment of a multi-stakeholder consultative process that will resolve to adopt a pragmatic and sustainable plan that aims to supplement the University's limited capacity through an expanded compact between the public and private sector.

As we monitor developments throughout the next few days, we will continue providing essentials to students impacted by the housing crisis.

Issued by ActionSA UCT Chairperson Matthew George