- A small group of people disrupted an exam at UCT.
- A video shows exam papers being pulled off desks in the sports hall.
- The student representative council said it was not behind the disruption.
A small group of people disrupted mid-year exams at the University of Cape Town's (UCT) sports hall by pulling papers off the desks and throwing them on the floor.
"On Monday a group of individuals who are neither employees nor students of the University of Cape Town, disrupted exams on UCT's upper campus. UCT condemns these actions in the strongest possible terms," the university tweeted.
It reported cases of malicious damage to property and trespassing to the police.
Is this the way to protest??? pic.twitter.com/6MGKNimATB
— Butters Stotch (@Vikash__r) June 6, 2022
"It is an infringement on the rights of students to sit their mid-year exams in a conducive environment. Campus Protection Services officers are working to secure all exam venues on upper campus."
Exams that are set for later on Monday will continue, and Monday morning's exam will be rescheduled.
It is an infringement on the rights of students to sit their mid-year exams in a conducive environment. Campus Protections Services Officers are working to secure all exam venues on upper campus.[2/3]
— UCT (@UCT_news) June 6, 2022
The student representative council's (SRC) Siya Plaatjie told News24 that the action was driven by workers who are demanding permanent jobs, instead of constant temporary postings.
She said the SRC was not involved in the disruption but that it stood in solidarity with the workers.
She said the university opened several posts. The temporary workers know how to do the relevant jobs and have been doing them, she added. However, they are being overlooked and outsiders are being brought in, she said.
we will not remain silent while the cries of our mothers and fathers, whom are the backbone of this university, remain unheard. As such the SRC calls for the halt of university activities, including examinations, until such a time the grievances of workers have been heard.2/3
— UCT SRC (@UCT_SRC) June 6, 2022
Temporary workers are not entitled to the pension or medical aid benefits permanent staffers get.
The SRC called on the university to suspend normal activities for safety's sake after Monday's disruption.
The ending of outsourcing has been a long-time demand of students. Outsourcing is when an institution sub-contracts labour instead of hiring people directly.
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