‘Help KZN universities to deal with disruptions’

Protests are orchestrated, says DUT vicechancellor as he pleads to the government

THERE appeared to be an annual orchestrated campaign to destabilise tertiary institutions in KwaZulu-Natal, which required a probe by the country’s intelligence services, other government institutions and the political establishment.

This was the view yesterday of Durban University of Technology (DUT) vice-chancellor Professor Thandwa Mthembu, saying that tertiary institutions needed help to deal with protests that had become an annual ritual.

Speaking in the wake of student Mlungisi Madonsela being shot by DUT security guards on Tuesday, Mthembu said: “I hope our government, and I hope those involved in the political environment, those in intelligence services, help us as the higher education sector, and understand what is happening under the glare of everybody else that makes institutions at this time of the year very unstable.”

Most tertiary institutions in the province have been rocked by protests which appear to have spread to Wits University, where the #FeesMustFall movement began.

Mthembu said he was aware that “something was bubbling” at other institutions such as Wits, but that resolving the issues was beyond the capabilities of DUT and other universities.

He noted how orchestrated the protests were and how they created a view that KZN universities were the most unstable in the country as they would never start their academic year on time.

Protests over the past few days have resulted in large-scale damages.

Mthembu said protests had a huge financial impact on the university in the damages caused, and the cost of additional security hired during these periods.

So far this year, students have damaged two vehicles and broken several windows at DUT, and burnt two vehicles at UKZN campuses.

Members of the KZN Cabinet met yesterday as they prepared to meet stakeholders from higher education institutions.

In a subsequent statement, acting premier Sihle Zikalala said: “It is warped logic that for students’ protests to have an impact, one must destroy already existing education infrastructure required to prepare young people to be the drivers of socio-economic development in their country.”

He said the burning of cars and buildings left a bitter taste and should be condemned.

However, Zikalala added that he sympathised with the plight of poor students.

He expected those people who were part of the protests to isolate the violent elements trying to derail their efforts.

Zikalala said they had convened a meeting with various vice-chancellors and student leaders last year, where it was agreed that although the provincial government did not have direct oversight of tertiary institutions, it would make efforts to ensure a disruption-free academic year.

The EFF Student Command-led student representative council (SRC) at DUT rejected Zikalala’s efforts to intervene.

Addressing a press conference outside DUT, SRC president Sesiyanda Godlimpi accused him 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.

Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT) spokesperson Mbali Mkhize said it had received a list of demands from students.

“MUT received upfront payments from NSFAS. Out of this amount, MUT has paid allowances to more than 6 700 students out of the 7 283 that are NSFAS-approved. The rest of the students still have to submit their banking details so they can be paid,” she said.

Mkhize said the institution had placed close to 8 000 students at both on- and off-campus residences.

“We are looking at some of the demands from students,” she said.

| Additional reporting Bongani Hans