WSU students on class boycott

WALTER Sisulu University students at one of the Mthatha campuses have defied orders from management to return to class.

The students at the Zamukulungisa site have been boycotted classes since last Thursday, demanding among other things, that the university fix their lecture halls.

Student representative council (SRC) deputy president Masixole Nyembezi said the maintenance at their campus was “below accepted standard”.

“We have a dire shortage of chairs. Some students have to stand during lectures. It is like an overcrowded primary school.

“We have had a situation where students have heated arguments over chairs. That is totally unacceptable,” he said.

Nyembezi, who is a student at the campus and stays at its residence, said the situation was worse at residences.

“We do not have hot water. Some rooms have broken windows and we have to put up plastic to keep the weather out.

“We feel like we are not getting value for the money we pay here. We are treated as if we are staying here for free,” he said.

Nyembezi said other issues students were not happy about were the adding and cancelling of some of their study modules.

“We had a situation in the past where students were paying for modules that were not part of their course and they were unable to cancel.

“Even this year, we have a situation like that. Now we want the university to fix that before it is too late,” he said.

University spokeswoman Yonela Tukwayo said the grievances of the students were brought forward by the SRC to a meeting with management held on March 30.

“They were all addressed and an agreement was even reached to suspend the strike. A letter was written to staff and university inviting them back to work from March 31,” he said.

Nyembezi said they did receive the communication from management to return to class, “but students said they were not going back until all their grievances were met”. — TMG