Choppy start to academic year if issues not resolved
Tamlyn Stewart Published:Feb 05, 2008
It Could be an explosive start to the academic year at several tertiary institutions around the country if tense talks between students and the management of universities break down.
South African Students’ Congress president David Maimela said student bodies were negotiating various issues — including registration fees and accommodation — with universities at campuses around the country.
Maimela said where students couldn’t reach agreement with management, they would “take the fight to the streets”.
Students are already protesting at Medunsa, in Limpopo and at the Durban University of Technology.
Sasco has cited registration fees, a lack of accommodation, and a lack of transport as the issues they want resolved at the Durban University of Technology.
Protests began last week and reached a frenzy on Friday when police fired rubber bullets at protesting students.
The Durban University of Technology confirmed it would remain closed until this Friday due to the student protest.
Nomonde Mbadi, Durban University of Technology’s executive director of public affairs and communications, said staff and students were asked to go home last week. Staff are expected to return to work tomorrow .
“Students are expected to return to campus next Monday,” she said.
Sasco said it expected “very tense negotiations” at Tshwane University of Technology and at the University of Venda.
Tshwane University of Technology spokeswoman Willa de Ruyter said that students and management had come to an agreement two weeks ago so that registration could go ahead, but “there are still some issues that need to be addressed”, she said.
But University of Venda registrar Khuliso Nemadzivhanani said the university had already agreed on a R3000 registration fee with the students’ representative assembly and he did not expect any student protests on campus.
“As far as I’m aware we discussed the matter and an agreement was reached,” he said.
Registration is set to start on February 21 and classes will begin on March 4.
Sasco’s “Right to Learn” campaign lists free education as one of its goals.
Mary Metcalfe, head of the Wits University School of Education, said free tertiary education was not currently possible, as it would require more money from the national budget to be allocated to education .
Metcalfe said: “There are acceptable and unacceptable forms of protest. The way to prevent unacceptable conduct is to establish a relationship of civility where peoples’ concerns are listened to and answered.”
Meanwhile, the University of the Witwatersrand said it was not anticipating any problems because it had reached agreements with student organisations last year after protests over fees.
“We haven’t had any indication of protests or unhappiness.
“I think we have been through that process already,” said Wits University spokeswoman Shirona Patel.
