Students unhappy about transport
Following the chaos at the campuses of South Cape College in George when students disrupted classes, 13 unhappy students from Great Brak River who are enrolled at the George campus, say their transport complaints are being ignored.
The students say transport arrangements worked well last year, but this year there has been so much confusion that they have only been able to attend classes for about two weeks. They say the campus bus that is supposed to pick them up is suddenly full and the alternative transport does not always show up. The students came to complain to George Herald after they went to the central office to set up a meeting with the campus head, Elsie Potgieter, but say instead they were threatened with disenrollment.
A furious parent told George Herald that the college wants 80% attendance for students to qualify for bursaries. "But what now? My child is ready every day to go to college, but then their transport does not show up or shows up late. I will have to pay back that bursary whether my child went to class or not."
The students say transport is not given priority, because not even lecturers tasked with getting them to campus, want the responsibility.
"They got us a Venture and a bakkie, but sometimes only one of these shows up and we then have to decide who gets in and who stays home."
The students say they received a message not to go to campus on Tuesday last week, because protesting students have vandalised campus property. "It looks like the transport people did not get that message because we were told the Venture was waiting for us at the pick-up point."
Potgieter said 33 students are transported from Mossel Bay to George every day. "Two students from Great Brak make use of the bus, another 13 are transported with a Quantum and other transport." She says the college made three drivers available and that parents were informed of this on 18 February.
Students say Potgieter sent a letter to their parents, but they refused to sign it, as it contained the wrong contact number.
Potgieter said some services were interrupted during last week's protests, but ensured students that they will be collected at the various pick-up points.