Dr. A Nevhutalu
Vice-Chancellor
Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT)
Symphon Way
Bellville
7535
Dear: Dr. Nevhutalu
RE: ROLE OF PRIVATE SECURITIES ON CAMPUS
I write this letter in suspense of your truthful answer. I am writing this letter to your office as a concerned student who has witnessed firsthand what has transpired over the past couple of weeks on campus and in some instances had to run away from police in fear of being arrested, whilst I am innocent and committed no crime.
I write to you at a time where young people, particularly young black people, are waking up and realizing that the promise of a free qualitative education system in South Africa, is long overdue. Free education has been pending since the Freedom Charter was adapted in 1955 in Kliptown. It's been pending since 1994 when the African National Congress officially took office. We find it rather hard to believe, that a free education system promise was made but no measures was taken on how to actually achieve it.
I write to you at a time where students are tired of suggesting methods on how the government can achieve a no fee paying education system when the government prefers to act deaf.
I write this letter at a time where our institution provides very little (close to none) POSITIVE interaction between management (more especially executive management) and its major stakeholders, the general students of CPUT.
Below are a few questions that I have gathered and I would like your assistance in answering them. I am not doing research of any kind but however the institution has been silent on matters where it should not be silent on, hence I ask the following questions:
2. Do private securities form part of a political fight of order and power?
3. Do they really control situations within our campuses or are they the reason of destruction (as destruction on our campuses normally occurs after the interaction of students and the police and private security)
4. Thus far, private securities have proven to be clueless on the legislation that comes with protesting. If they are then clueless about it, how are they controlling it?
5. Do private securities have the right to arrest? We've witnessed a number of students being arrested not only at CPUT but throughout the country and when they appear in court, it is found that there was no legal basis for the arrest.
6. Is CPUT a private space or a public space? If it's a public space, then why are we restricted and arrested for being in a public space?
7. What is the difference between the duties of the police and the private securities?
8. Is there a lack of training between SAPS and private securities on how to handle protests?
9. Should securities not also be held liable for identification in the same way that we students are?
10. Why is it okay for the private securities to take video footage during a protest but it's not okay for a student?
11. What is the use of the Regulatory Board if we have private security on campus?
12. What is the institution doing about the shooting and arrest of innocent students?
13. CPUT has repeatedly stated that it is running on a deficit and does not have the necessary funds to function optimally however, who is funding private securities if the institution is really having financial difficulties?
14. According to Section 17 of the Constitution, everyone has a right to protest, peacefully and unarmed. This includes protests which are non-violent but very disruptive. It is further stipulated under the Regulation of Gatherings Act that the police cannot pepper spray and tear gas in confined spaces or in a stadium but we have witnessed otherwise when pepper sprays and tear gasses are used in our residences.
15. Rubber bullets may only be used to disperse a crowd and not necessarily to harm anyone however when the police shoot they aim directly at our faces and arms and the institution is silent on this matter alongside the state, even though it is an unlawful act.
16. Police training manuals state that stunt grenades must never be thrown directly at protestors, and it must be rolled to avoid injury however in reality once more this is otherwise.
17. According to law, police can only arrest if they see an individual committing an offense or has probable cause to believe that an individual was committing a crime, however as I had asked above, a great number of students who are innocent (some forcibly taken out of their residences which are meant to be places of safety) have been arrested without the police having solid reasons and legal basis for their arrest and the institution is quiet on this matter.
An example of this is what happened at City Edge residence last week. Whereby police forced their way into the residence to make arrests and ensure that students are locked inside their rooms. This was an unjust act should be strongly condemned. This was even caught on CCTV footage and your office again is silent on this matter.
There is a student who resides on one of the residences on campus. The student was shot near the eye by one of the private security guards late at night while the student was using an ATM. The student was alone and unarmed. Is this what our campus has degenerated to? A place where even those to live on it cannot move freely on campus otherwise they will be shot for literally nothing?
Sir, please listen to your students cry and provide them an opportunity to further more state their grievances. The call that students are making of a free decolonised qualitative education system in South Africa is one which is just. Simultaneously we understand that the implementation of that no fee paying education is out of your hands but however it will be nice for us to hear you vocally support the call for free education even in meetings with the Minister of Higher Education, Dr. BE Nzimande that you participate in. This is why students have on an institutional level called for:
1. Debt clearance
2. No upfront registration fee
3. No financial exclusions
I believe you are well aware why students have called for the three above mentioned things as you have already interacted with various student leaders ranging from those of FeesMustFall and the newly elected SRC.
In conclusion, as students we have been vocal of our support for insourcing of outsourced workers. We can't stand by and watch modern day slavery whereby our parents earn close to nothing yet there is a third party which is making a large scale profit from the exploitation of our parents and for such we can't remain silent on this matter.
As someone who sat in the Crisis Committee this year and saw how much some these outsourced workers earn, I also can't remain silent on this issue. It is near impossible for any parent (more especially) a single parent to support not only him/herself on R1 250 (on a monthly basis) but also his/her children. This is modern day slavery. Hence we support the call for insourcing.
I anxiously await for your feedback.
Luchulumanco Nanto
Registered CPUT student
No comments:
Post a Comment