Standoff between students and King Sabata Dalindyebo TVET college continues

An impasse regarding NSFAS allowances that has seen King Sabata Dalindyebo TVET College management and students at each other’s throats is yet to be resolved.

This is despite Abathembu King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo’s intervention.

The college management and institutional student representative council (ISRC) met at Dan’s Country Lodge 20km outside Mthatha on Monday to chart a way forward and to address the issues raised by the students.

However, the Mthatha SRC student leadership was not invited to the meeting.

Both Dalindyebo and the college’s SRC chair, Xolisa Cebiso, confirmed that the management had on Monday afternoon visited the king at his Nkululekweni residency to give him a report.

“As the SRC chair of the Mthatha campus, I was part of the meeting when the management came to report to the king at Nkululekweni,” he said.

“In essence, there was nothing that was agreed upon between the student leadership and the management.

“They told the king that they hoped to have solutions at the follow-up meeting, which will be held tomorrow [Wednesday] at the Mthatha campus with all the ISRC, SRC and students’ formations.

“We all pin our hopes on that meeting to have better resolutions.”

He said despite the intervention of the king, there had been no learning or teaching since Tuesday last week.

“The king has helped great deal, not only intervening on the matter but also feeding us when we were hungry, having not eaten for three days.

“He also helped us to be allowed back to the hostel and our residence after we were evicted and slept on the streets for three days.”

Dalindyebo had called on the college management to quickly address the situation, which he said was denying students the right to education.

One student, Abongile Mavuka, is still in hospital and it is unclear when he will be discharged amid fears that his leg may need amputatation.

He was allegedly shot with a rubber bullet by police during a protest last week.

Acting college principal Lulama Mswana had not responded to Dispatch queries by print deadline on Tuesday.