SRC demands free wi-fi, medical aid
Universities were due to open on Monday. However, several campuses were disrupted after students protested. They vowed to disrupt the academic year if their demands were not met. One of the issues raised was inadequate and poor housing. We also speak to r
THE Minister of Higher Education and Training, Naledi Pandor, and senior academics at UKZN have condemned the disruptions and closure at institutions of higher learning this week.
Pandor has called on all students to resist the proposed shutdown of universities as “it will severely affect the academic year, resulting in many not being able to finish their degrees on time, if ever”.
She reiterated the call she made earlier this year that her department stood ready to assist institutions of higher learning, where there are challenges, and directed her department officials to provide the necessary support to all affected institutions.
Pandor encouraged students organisations to focus on real student concerns and to make every effort to resolve problems without impacting on the academic programme.
Senior academics at UKZN have labelled the list of demands by made by the Student Representative Council (SRC) as “ridiculously unreasonable”.
The memorandum called for, among other things, free wi-fi at leased residences, free education, medical aid, and zero financial and academic exclusion.
The students also wanted private accommodation and for driver’s licences to form part of the syllabus.
Labby Ramrathan, an associate professor at the School of Education at UKZN, said: “Even if we do give in to these requests, in the next few months they will find something else to protest about. It will never be sufficient.”
He said the students were being unfair to the rest of the country.
“There are people who need housing, food and proper sanitation and we have students fighting for free wi-fi.”
A professor at the tertiary institution, who declined to be named, said the demands were “highly unreasonable”.
“How will the university sustain itself if all these demands are met? They do not have an endless pot of money. The cost implications are simply unsustainable. We might as well shut down all universities as they will never survive.”
She said the demands should be addressed by the government and were not the sole responsibility of the university.
“The universities are bending over backwards to meet the demands but it can never be met because it is not their responsibility alone.”
A lecturer said the language used in the memorandum was a reason to be concerned.
“This just shows you the type of people we are dealing with. The spelling and grammar is shocking.”
The memorandum was handed to university management on Monday, following the chaos that erupted at several campuses, including the institution’s Westville campus and Edgewood College campus in Pinetown.
Students were forced to abandon their classes, while others stoned police and passing vehicles and burnt a university Risk Management Service vehicle and guard room. SRC leader, Sanele Hlongwa, wanted management to sign the memorandum in front of students and threatened to continue with protests until this happened.
A first year Bcom accounting student, of Verulam, said the block she was supposed to have her first lecture at was burnt.
“I was so excited because it’s university. I worked hard for 12 years and as I was walking to the room I heard screaming and bangs.”
A dentistry student added: “The strikers need to go to the relevant offices instead of disrupting us.”
At the DUT, where protests also took place, engineering student Shane Pillay said the lecture was about to commence when he was instructed to leave.
UKZN’s acting executive director for corporate relations, Normah Zondo, said all academic programmes at UKZN campuses were suspended until further notice.
She said they were actively working through the memorandum to try and address the issues being raised.
“The suspension will allow management the space to engage with student leadership while ensuring the safety and security of all concerned.”
DUT’s senior director of corporate affairs and media spokesperson, Alan Khan, said lectures would resume on Thursday.
He said they had also received a memorandum. The student concerns included funding frustrations by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme, student housing allocations and transport issues.