Minister’s team of experts visits WSU in effort to end boycotts

HIGHER Education and Training Minister Naledi Pandor has dispatched a team of experts to the Walter Sisulu University in a bid to find lasting solutions to the student protests that have been prevalent at the institution.

Pandor was advised not to attend a South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (Saica) celebration earlier this month for fear of the disruptions that might be caused by the students.

University spokeswoman Yonela Tukwayo confirmed the ministerial team had arrived last Monday and was meant to have left on Thursday, but extended the stay to gather more information.

“The team from the department will first give a report to the minister and communicate what it found and what to do going forward,” Tukwayo said.

“The team met the student leadership first and then met management together with the students.” The university has entered the third week of a class boycott, with students demanding decent accommodation and the registration of academically excluded students.

It has been batting with the provision of accommodation for its 31 000 students scattered across four campuses.

Although it must provide accommodation for 30% of its students, it is now accommodating 80% of them.

Pandor said she had noted with concern the closure of WSU campuses due to student protests.

“Some of the common challenges that have led to this unrest in the three campuses include the online residence [room] allocation system which was introduced by the university to deal with the issue of bribes that were allegedly being paid for rooms,” she said.

“I am hopeful that working together with student leaders, staff and the university management, we will find solutions.”