Students protest at online process
SRCS say registration process neutralises them as they try to offer support
STUDENT representative councils from various Kwazulu-natal universities have ignored directives to stay off campuses, causing chaos once again as registration season opens.
The SRCS say the online process will result in students being “neutralised” and prevented from demonstrating on campus about their grievances.
Universities in the province have sent out messages notifying students that the registration process would be done online, and that there would not be no in-person registration owing to the Covid-19 pandemic.
On Friday, a group of about 50 students at the University of Kwazulunatal’s Westville campus stormed the institution’s gate and demanded entry to the grounds.
This led to a confrontation between the group and security personnel. Security officers who tried to prevent the group from unlawfully entering the premises were pelted with stones by the unruly students who then went on to damage a guardhouse and a car. They ran away before the police arrived.
Normah Zondo, UKZN’S executive director of corporate relations, emphasised that registration was "strictly" online and the decision to digitise the process was intended to reduce health risks to staff and students.
However, Siyabonga Mlondo, chairperson of the SRC at UKZN'S Pietermaritzburg campus, said they were unhappy about the decision given the challenges students faced with online registration.
“The issue here is not Covid-19. The country is on level one, and people can meet under lockdown protocols. We got letters from the university lawyers warning us that, should we fail to abide by the instruction, we will face legal consequences. That was a clear indication that the university is doing all in its power to keep us away from the campus.
“We are not allowed to gather inside any campus, and all our meetings must be strictly virtual. We feel neutralised to demonstrate any dissatisfaction, and we are being threatened. It is a fact that most students experience challenges online, and the university does not respond to emails. Some come from deep rural areas that have network challenges,” said Mlondo.
In response to student complaints, Zondo said all returning students had been provided with data and given laptops to be able to work remotely.
All applicants who had accepted a firm offer would be provided with data when they accepted it. The UKZN website had been zero-rated, meaning no data was required to access information on it. Data was needed only to view videos that explained the registration process. In addition, the institution had a dedicated call centre and 10 agents to assist applicants with enquiries.
On Thursday, a group of students gathered at Durban University of Technology and forced their way on to the Steve Biko campus. They became violent when they were told that walk-ins were not allowed and destroyed staff equipment.
The group was removed by security. DUT spokesperson, Alan Khan, said the commotion was a result of unhappiness with online registration.
At Mangosuthu University of Technology, students have disregarded the instruction to register online and have been going to the campus since Monday.
Mthokozisi Gumede, a member of
the EFF’S student command at the institution, said the decision to hold registration online was frustrating, as the majority of the university’s students were from rural areas.
He said the online platform for registration was never fully functional.
Gumede said online registration requirements would result in more student protests and disruptions.
“We will go on to campus to assist new students who do not know about the processes. We see this as a corrupt act. The management wants to exclude us so that there will be no accountability. They know that the institution attracts mostly students from underdeveloped communities who have poor connections and have no data. How do they expect them to register online?”
Gumede added that they would protest if the university did not reverse its decision.
MUT spokesperson Azwi Mufamadi said in addition to the online registration being simplified, “students who encounter challenges are requested to phone the university.”
Provincial police spokesperson Colonel Thembeka Mbele said no one was arrested for the destruction at UKZN and DUT.