Cape Town - Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) spokesperson Lauren Kansley said squatting by students could be seen at all universities at the beginning of each academic year.
Kansley said the institution’s campuses were flooded with people who either had not applied at all, or hadn’t made appropriate residence applications, leading to squatting across universities.
Images were shared online of students from outside the Western Cape sleeping at the CPUT’s Bellville campus communal area, described as the TV room.
It was unclear how many students had slept in the area and for how long.
“CPUT has always adopted a proactive attitude towards residence placements. Our university has prioritised residences to such an extent that we are able to accommodate 43% of our student population in residence (up from 39.8% last year), much higher than most universities, and we have in fact had a surplus of residence spots available,” Kansley said.
She said application for residence happened once a student had been accepted for study at CPUT, and then a host of other criteria were strictly applied.
“The process is therefore unfolding as we speak, which is partly a result of the matric results being delayed.”
Kansley said they had in the region of 18 500 CPUT-owned beds and if the need arose, students could be accommodated in accredited facilities which had existing relationships with the university.
The EFF Student Command Council was contacted for more information, but only said the matter had been communicated to the Students Representative Council, and that the departmental issue was being attended to.
Students were also reached for comment, but refrained from commenting.