Seven arrested for public violence at university
Management, SRC reach an agreement
Seven students have been arrested for public violence at the strife-torn Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT) in Durban.
This follows protest action yesterday at the Umlazi campus‚ where students blockaded the entrance to the institution with boulders and bricks and allegedly overturned a car. Metro police spokesperson Senior Superintendent Parboo Sewpersad said seven people had been arrested for acts of public violence at the campus. Meanwhile, management met with the student representative council (SRC) members yesterday to discuss various demands.
The university said students were demanding fee concessions and a reversal of the fee increment. They also want the library and clinic hours to be extended to 24 hours and the number of printers to be increased across campus. In addition‚ the SRC claimed some students had not received their allowances. “We agreed on fee concessions and have been implementing as per agreements with the SRC. “However‚ in today’s meeting the SRC informed us that‚ because Friday was the last registration day‚ some students could not register. “This means that the university will have to extend its registration‚” the statement read. “The SRC has made a claim that some students have not received their allowances. The university’s records show that 7‚022 students have been paid their allowances and [for]
learning materials. Only 46 had wrong accounts and their issue is being resolved. The SRC has indicated that there are more payments still outstanding. Executive management has requested the SRC to produce the evidence which they claim.”
On the extension of library and clinic hours, the university said the resources and planning department would advise “on how best we could deal with this” at a meeting with the SRC.
At the Durban University of Technology, EFF Student Command members disrupted lectures yesterday.
The students called for the prosecution of the university following the fatal shooting of Mlungisi Madonsela. Hundreds of students marched from the Steve Biko campus to the Durban City Hall to hand over a memorandum of demands to the mayor’s office.