Varsities remain closed
Students’ demands not met yet
Classes remained suspended at four universities yesterday as students continued with their protests over lack of accommodation and registration difficulties for those owing the institutions.
The South African Union of Students’ spokesperson Thabo Shingange said classes at KwaZulu-Natal, University, Durban University of Technology, Tshwane University of Technology (Soshanguve Campus) and Vaal University of Technology (VUT) have been suspended. Shingange said there were mass meetings yesterday taking place at universities of Pretoria, Cape Town and Free State as they discussed joining the national shutdown. Last week, saw institutions in KwaZulu-Natal and the Wits University suspend classes following student protests. Students at the Tshwane University of Technology are expecting a response from management today.
The students’ demands include that the institution should open re-admission for first-year students who had applied for courses last year. At VUT, student representative council (SRC) walked out of a meeting they had with the management yesterday. The students are complaining that the management was not taking them seriously over shortage of accommodation and the scraping of historical debts. SRC deputy president Abdul Mabasa said yesterday they met with the management to try and resolve the issues. “We had to collapse the meeting after the management demanded to only sit with SRC members, ignoring other student structures. They also failed to address the issues that we brought to them and we decided to walk out,” Mabasa said. On Monday night, students went on a rampage burning two cars that belong to the institution. “I condemn such behaviour but students are frustrated,” he said. Some students had also felt the need to vacate their residences, fearing for their lives. VUT spokesperson Mike Khuboni yesterday confirmed the meeting with the student leaders.
“We received their memorandum and we agreed to meet today [yesterday] to try and resolve the issues. [But] halfway through the meeting SRC members walked out without saying anything,” Khuboni said. He said the institution have not opened a case regarding the two torched cars, saying the management would continue with the meeting without SRC members. Khuboni said classes will remain temporarily suspended for the safety of their students and staff members.