Students blocked the entrance of the campus, not allowing cars to enter during protest on Tuesday.
Image: Lilita Gcwabe
Protesting Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) students say they will continue the campus shutdown until April 1, or until they receive an actionable response from the university’s vice-chancellor.
Hundreds of students who began protesting on Monday are now on day two of the demonstration.
They have vowed to continue, halting classes and disrupting daily operations while the future of dental science students remains uncertain.
Students say they have had enough of repeated commitments from the university regarding when classes for Dental Science, Dental Assisting, Dental Technology, and other programmes will begin.
Many claim they have been sitting in residence with no academic activity since 2025. Some are due to graduate this year, while others are first-year students who have only recently arrived at university for the 2026 academic year.
Hundreds of students began protesting at the Bellville campus on Monday, continuing into Tuesday, bringing classes and daily operations at the university to a halt.
Image: Lilita Gcwabe
This follows the university’s denial of claims that classes have not commenced. CPUT has maintained that dental programmes remain in place and that it is engaging with the relevant professional body to resolve outstanding issues.
According to the university's spokesperson, Lauren Kansley, in June 2025, the CPUT Dental Technology Department had to vacate its premises at Tygerberg Hospital at the request of the Department of Health.
"CPUT immediately secured new premises which had to be completely repurposed for Dental Sciences training. These venues are now complete and await certification from various authorities such as the City of Cape Town, CHE, DHET, SADTC, and HPCSA."
Kansley continued: "In October 2025, the SADTC did a programme review and site visit at the Bellville campus; they were unhappy with the use of the university laboratories as they deemed them not suitable for the training of Dental Technology students. CPUT was requested to continue with theoretical work only.
"It is important to note that CPUT has not lost accreditation for any of its programmes."
A first-year student, who asked to remain anonymous, shared images of communication between students and the university, indicating proposed start dates for classes, commitments that students claim have not been met, as the protests persist.
Initial correspondence between the university and students about the delay in registration.
Image: Supplied
Students say that they were informed that the university had attempted to arrange placements at other institutions, such as the Durban University of Technology and the Tshwane University of Technology.
"However, the South African Dental Technicians Council (SADTC) reportedly did not approve this arrangement, which is deeply concerning because registration with the SADTC is required for us to practice after graduation."
Students allege that there has also been an ongoing conflict between CPUT and the SADTC since 2020 regarding curriculum and assessment standards.
"This creates further uncertainty about whether we will be able to register professionally after completing our studies. This entire situation has had a serious impact on our academic progress, financial stability, and mental health," said a second-year dental assistance student at the protest.
An email students claim is from the Deputy Vice Chancellor of the university regarding the delay in classes.
Image: Supplied
CPUT has confirmed the "stumbling block" between the institution and SADTC, stating that it started in 2020.
"The SADTC previously refused to register graduated students, whereas previously this was done automatically upon completion of the qualification. The SADTC has now imposed new rules that affect the university's ability to fulfil its mandated function: to teach, assess, and graduate students when they qualify."
The university says that "this has impacted many of our students who have graduated and have still not registered with the SADTC," said Kansley.
"Interventions were put in place after meetings with the Departments of Higher Education and Health, the Council on Higher Education (CHE), the SADTC, and other universities of technology offering dental technology, to ensure that the affected students could eventually register. We are currently still engaging in this process."
The SADTC had not responded to requests for comment at the time of publication.
This is a developing story.
lilita.gcwabe@inl.co.za