SRC snubs mediation bid

EFF-led body at DUT accuses KZN acting premier of political point-scoring after death

THE EFF Student Command-led student representative council at Durban University of Technology has rejected KwaZulu-Natal acting premier Sihle Zikalala’s interventions amid violent protest in which a student was killed.

Zikalala, who is also the ANC provincial chairperson, made the offer to mediate before Siyabonga Madonsela, a third-year business administration student, was shot dead on Tuesday.

Madonsela, an EFF Student Command activist, was allegedly shot by a private security guard while students were allegedly pelting police and security guards with stones.

Addressing a press conference outside the university, SRC president Sesiyanda Godlimpi accused Zikalala of being opportunistic.

“He is scoring some political point as this is not from his conscience, therefore we will not accept any help from him.

“We only want him to make sure that the thug that shot a student is apprehended, instead of intervening where he does not belong,” Godlimpi said.

He said Higher Education Minister Naledi Pandor should be the one coming up with solutions, because Zikalala “is very powerless” in this matter.

A group of people who were dressed in EFF regalia disrupted a briefing by the South African Students Congress (Sasco) on Madonsela’s death.

They demanded that Sasco provincial chairperson Mqondisi Duma stop talking about the shooting incident because “you don’t know anything about Siyabonga”.

Godlimpi said Sasco leaders were also using Madonsela to score points.

Duma said it was wrong for the EFFSC to disrupt Sasco’s press briefing “because we are the one who called for the shutdown of institutions”.

Meanwhile, there are also rumblings at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology after students protested about the lack of accommodation.

Vice-chancellor Dr Chris Nhlapo and the university management held a heated meeting with the SRC, discussing residential and financial issues faced by students.

CPUT spokesperson Lauren Kansley said following the student protest and their demands, “the VC Mr Nhlapo engaged with the SRC and did a walkabout to all the university residences” where he was assessing the demands presented by the SRC.

We only want him to make sure that the thug who shot a student is apprehended Sesiyanda Godlimpi

DUT student representative council president