Protesting UFH students bring traffic to standstill

STUDENTS at the University of Fort Hare in East London yesterday brought traffic to a standstill when they marched to the institution demanding to meet the vice-chancellor, Sakhela Buhlungu.

More than 300 students marched in the Quigney area before moving along Fleet street to the East London campus. There they held a meeting and resolved to boycott lectures until Buhlungu addressed them.

After the meeting the students set fires in Fleet, Currie and Cambridge streets. They dispersed as the police and traffic officials monitored the situation.

Students’ Representative Council leader Sonwabiso Mamkeli said the students wanted the vice-chancellor to explain why the institution had allegedly reneged on issues they had agreed on last year.

These included the insourcing of security and cleaning personnel, funding of all qualifying students by NSfas, ensuring that there are enough residences for all students and provision of a student shuttle between campus and their residences.

“Right now we have 250 students who are outside residences. Some of them are sleeping in shebeens or sleeping three to a room,” he said.

Buhlungu, who urged the students to return to classes, said he had received a memorandum of their demands on Thursday last week.

He said the disorderly conduct by some students was disturbing academic and other university activities. —