‘We just want to get back to class’
NORTHERN Cape Urban TVET College students are tired of disruptions at the college’s campuses and said yesterday that they desperately want to return to class.
All the campuses in Kimberley remained deserted yesterday, with lecturers and students sent home due to picketing and tyres that were set alight at the entrances of the Phatsimang and Moremogolo campuses.
This is despite an interdict that was obtained by the college on Tuesday to prohibit protest action by students, lecturers and unidentified persons and to prevent them from burning tyres within 500 metres of any college property.
Students said they were informed that they should attend classes yesterday and were warned that they could be arrested if they participated in any protest action.
“We are worried about our studies, we just want to get to our classes. It has been long enough because the protests have spiralled out of control.
“What started off as a list of grievances from students has been overtaken by union demands and lecturers. None of the grievances have been addressed. We have had enough, they should take the fight outside the college and leave students out of this tug-of-war.”
The students added that they wanted their old lecturers, whose contracts have not been renewed, to return.
“They were much better than the influx of lecturers who were brought in from the Free State. Our lecturers who reside in Kimberley are sitting at home without work.”
They pointed out that they had not attended any classes since the beginning of the year.
“We have been studying on our own in the meantime, in the event that we have to write tests. Firstyear students have to write final exams in June. The second-year students were supposed to start writing their first semester exams already.”
They also stated that many students were still waiting for the National Student Financial Aid Scheme to pay out their bursaries.
“Students who have not received funding have been told to vacate the hostel.”
National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) provincial chairperson Jacques Cupido said that the protests at the Phatsimang and Moremogolo campuses yesterday were part of the union’s national strike activities.
“There were peaceful pickets but no one was prevented from entering the campuses and we were not responsible for the burning of any tyres.”
Cupido stated that a meeting was scheduled to take place between the national leadership of Nehawu and the Minister of Higher Education in Cape Town today.
“The outcome of the meeting will determine whether protest action at TVET colleges, in conjunction with the South African Students Congress (Sasco), will intensify.”
No response had been received from the Northern Cape Urban TVET College by the time of going to print yesterday.