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
Hundreds of students from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) began protesting at the Bellville campus on Monday, continuing into Tuesday, bringing classes and daily operations at the university to a halt.
Students say lectures cannot continue while the academic future of hundreds, including first-years, remains uncertain.
Dental Science students from CPUT say they have been left in limbo since May 2025, after being evacuated from the Tygerberg campus, with some claiming they have not had proper classes since then.
"I have been crying every day for the past two weeks because I feel like my future is on hold. I have not attended class since May 2025," said a third-year dental science student, who asked not to be named for fear of victimisation.
She said she only received results for two modules completed in 2025, while the rest were classified as practicals expected to be completed in 2026, but she has yet to receive any further communication from management.
"My biggest fear is that we will be told that the course is suspended from the university, and this will mean that the past two years of my life will have been a waste," she said.
Another student said that after relocation from Tygerberg campus, "it became clear that the building was not ready, and there was little to no visible progress in its construction. As a result, we were left without a proper training facility for several months".
Students said online learning was introduced for theoretical components, but because the programme is largely practical, they were unable to continue with essential clinical and hands-on training.
They allege that later in 2025, they were moved to the Bellville campus and placed in a general science laboratory not suited for dental training.
"The space lacked proper ventilation, appropriate dental equipment, and was shared with other departments. This raised serious health and safety concerns, and some of us have had to seek medical attention because the space was not sanitary," a student said.
While meetings were held with university management, including the dean and head of department, students claim communication has been inconsistent, and commitments made were not always documented or upheld.
Students blocked the entrance of the campus, not allowing cars to enter.
Image: Lilita Gcwabe
Students halted construction operations on campus and demanded for workers to be sent home.
Image: Lilita Gcwabe
Construction workers leaving the Bellville campus after being sent home by students leading the shutdown.
Image: Lilita Gcwabe
Another student, who is expected to graduate next year, described the situation as traumatic.
"Our mental health has been affected deeply, and our overall health has been affected. There are a lot of students who lost NSFAS and bursary funding and don’t have residence registration," she said.
Students said further challenges emerged at the start of the 2026 academic year.
"Some of us were required to pay 50% of outstanding fees to register, despite not having failed the previous academic year. This requirement was not applied consistently across all students," one said.
They added that the university had attempted to arrange placements at other institutions, including the Durban University of Technology and the Tshwane University of Technology.
Students also claim that dental assistant students accepted into the 2026 academic year for a one-year Higher Certificate have not yet started classes, with no clear explanation or communication provided.
CPUT has denied the claims, saying its dental programmes remain in place and that it is engaging with the relevant professional body to resolve outstanding issues.
The university said "students would not be financially disadvantaged in the 2026 academic year", adding that it is covering accommodation, NSFAS monthly allowances, and book allowances. It also maintained that the qualification remains valid and that no credits earned by students would be lost.
CPUT further stated that it has not lost accreditation for any of its programmes and remains accredited by the Council on Higher Education, noting that the South African Dental Technicians Council (SADTC) is responsible for endorsing programmes for professional registration.
The South African Dental Technicians Council had not responded to requests for comment at the time of publication.
This is a developing story.
lilita.gcwabe@inl.co.za