Cape’s campus of discontent
New vice-chancellor named for strife-torn UWC
SHE survives on food from a casual campus boyfriend, sleeps on the floor in an office, and when her mother calls to find out how her studies are going, she pretends all is well at the University of the Western Cape.
But the 55-year-old grandmother is no longer even registered as a student at the university. She is desperate to complete her studies and still attends classes.
She is part of a group of students without accommodation on a campus that has been racked by academic infighting, legal wrangling, protests and even allegations of espionage.
These are some of the problems Professor Tyrone Pretorius may inherit when he takes over as the new vice-chancellor and rector next year. On Friday, he was named as successor to Professor Brian O’Connell, who is retiring.
The student representative council (SRC), which has accused O’Connell of being autocratic, drowning out the student voice and ignoring the plight of the poor on campus, has disrupted classes, tests and a graduation ceremony.
Earlier this month, the university management was granted an interim interdict in the High Court in Cape Town against the SRC.
The deputy president of the SRC, Bongeka Jasoni, lauded O’Connell this week for his work, but said he had “failed us in other regards, particularly student devel-
A security car follows us on particular days, even when we eat
opment”. There was a shortage of student accommodation and many students were squatting in residences, said Jasoni.
This week there were students’ belongings and bedding in a campus office where the grandmother sleeps without a mattress.
She was a third-year BA student in 2011, but failed to write her final exams when her husband died. She returned to campus this year and was told to register as a first-year student.
“I am attending classes, but I might have to go home soon because I cannot get financial aid and therefore cannot register,” she said.
SRC president Msingathi Kula suspects the council is being spied on.
“A security car follows us on particular days, even when we go to eat,” he said.
But O’Connell does have some support among students. “I don’t have any problems with him,” said one student, who did not want to be named. “We travel from far to study and the [SRC] protests are causing trouble.”
University spokesman Luthando Tyhalibongo said the institution could accommodate 3 335 students in 13 residences. Those who could not be accommodated were given a list of private facilities.
He said there were “unconfirmed reports” of students sleeping in lecture halls and offices.
“The university will engage with the central housing committee, a student body, to investigate these allegations.”
Tyhalibongo said the university was “disappointed” with the SRC because it had not spoken to management about its grievances.