Rhodes University students marched and erected barricades on streets between the university and the town late on Wednesday night, demanding that all students excluded on financial grounds be allowed to register.
But university spokeswoman Catherine Deinier said that as far as the university knew not a single student that had met academic requirements had been excluded.
Rhodes Vice Chancellor Dr Sizwe Mabizela, who also annually donates a large chunk of his own salary towards student bursaries, last year gave a guarantee during #feesmustfall protests that no academically deserving students would be excluded on financial grounds alone.
Deinier said that a high level fees committee had dealt with every single student that had come forward with financial difficulties.
Director of Student Affairs Colleen Vassiliou yesterday urged any student that had been financially excluded to email her personally and their case would be quickly dealt with.
It is not clear who is behind the march and erection of barricades. A group urging students to get their cause #RhodesShutDown trending said their demands included the registration of financially excluded students, the end to outsourcing of workers, issues around dining hall
menus, historical student debt, late registration “punishment fees”,
a demand for the re-election of the SRC, and a reduction of fees for university residences.
Social media posts suggested even the students were confused about who had called for the shutdown of Rhodes. Student activist Lihle Ngcobozi said in a statement on social media that neither she, nor fellow activist Vuyolwethu Toli – who had been cited as heading up the protest – had been part of the planning for the shutdown. She firmly distanced herself from the action.
“ I will always give myself fully to the battle of decolonizing this institution, student activism, and ensuring that this institution has a face that is reflective of the country we live in, but I will not have my name used to further the agenda of opportunists,” she said on the SRC facebook site.
Mabizela last night walked around campus and personally twice assisted security to remove barricades.
He said this morning that everything was under control and traffic was flowing between the university and the town. He said normal operations would take place today and emphasised he would not permit the campus to be barricaded.
Rhodes students in late night protest
But university spokeswoman Catherine Deinier said that as far as the university knew not a single student that had met academic requirements had been excluded.
Rhodes Vice Chancellor Dr Sizwe Mabizela, who also annually donates a large chunk of his own salary towards student bursaries, last year gave a guarantee during #feesmustfall protests that no academically deserving students would be excluded on financial grounds alone.
Deinier said that a high level fees committee had dealt with every single student that had come forward with financial difficulties.
Director of Student Affairs Colleen Vassiliou yesterday urged any student that had been financially excluded to email her personally and their case would be quickly dealt with.
It is not clear who is behind the march and erection of barricades. A group urging students to get their cause #RhodesShutDown trending said their demands included the registration of financially excluded students, the end to outsourcing of workers, issues around dining hall
menus, historical student debt, late registration “punishment fees”,
a demand for the re-election of the SRC, and a reduction of fees for university residences.
Social media posts suggested even the students were confused about who had called for the shutdown of Rhodes. Student activist Lihle Ngcobozi said in a statement on social media that neither she, nor fellow activist Vuyolwethu Toli – who had been cited as heading up the protest – had been part of the planning for the shutdown. She firmly distanced herself from the action.
“ I will always give myself fully to the battle of decolonizing this institution, student activism, and ensuring that this institution has a face that is reflective of the country we live in, but I will not have my name used to further the agenda of opportunists,” she said on the SRC facebook site.
Mabizela last night walked around campus and personally twice assisted security to remove barricades.
He said this morning that everything was under control and traffic was flowing between the university and the town. He said normal operations would take place today and emphasised he would not permit the campus to be barricaded.
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