Walter Sisulu University students at the Nelson Mandela Drive campus were chased off campus yesterday afternoon after they set alight a building and blocked the fire brigade from entering the premises.
University spokeswoman Yonela Tukwayo said the university ordered all students to vacate the campus, including its residences, before 6.30pm last night.
“The Nelson Mandela Drive site has been closed officially,” Tukwayo said.
The students torched the Pink House, a recreational facility of the university, at around 3pm yesterday after failing to get the management of the university to allow all students to register without NSfas confirmation for funding and without paying their existing debt.
The university had reached an agreement on Tuesday night with the student representative council (SRC) to resume the registration process which has been halted for the past four days.
Tukwayo said the university managed to reason with the SRC in Mthatha, but yesterday morning the ANC Youth League on the campus blocked access to the university.
“Management and the students sat in meetings on Tuesday until midnight and we had resolutions that obviously now the Nelson Mandela Drive campus has reversed from.
“We are still trying to secure a meeting with the ANCYL,” Tukwayo said.
The students blockaded the entrance of the university before moving from the campus to the N2 a few hours later.
Tukwayo said police were called to remove the students from the national road back to the university.
WSU’s SRC had demanded on Monday that the university register returning students who were rejected by NSfas on the basis of poor academic performance.
Nelson Mandela Drive SRC president Sinelizwi Mantangayi said although they agreed with management on Tuesday, they had since taken a different view.
“We want all returning students to be registered without paying the 20% of their debt,” Mantangayi said.
The university has an enrolment figure of 28500, with 75% of that number funded by NSfas.
The university’s Buffalo City campus has maintained order but has not resumed operations.
Buffalo City campus SRC president Luyanda Mgomba said they would maintain a non-violent engagement with the management. — simthandilef@dispatch.co.za
WSU students in fiery rampage
University spokeswoman Yonela Tukwayo said the university ordered all students to vacate the campus, including its residences, before 6.30pm last night.
“The Nelson Mandela Drive site has been closed officially,” Tukwayo said.
The students torched the Pink House, a recreational facility of the university, at around 3pm yesterday after failing to get the management of the university to allow all students to register without NSfas confirmation for funding and without paying their existing debt.
The university had reached an agreement on Tuesday night with the student representative council (SRC) to resume the registration process which has been halted for the past four days.
Tukwayo said the university managed to reason with the SRC in Mthatha, but yesterday morning the ANC Youth League on the campus blocked access to the university.
“Management and the students sat in meetings on Tuesday until midnight and we had resolutions that obviously now the Nelson Mandela Drive campus has reversed from.
“We are still trying to secure a meeting with the ANCYL,” Tukwayo said.
The students blockaded the entrance of the university before moving from the campus to the N2 a few hours later.
Tukwayo said police were called to remove the students from the national road back to the university.
WSU’s SRC had demanded on Monday that the university register returning students who were rejected by NSfas on the basis of poor academic performance.
Nelson Mandela Drive SRC president Sinelizwi Mantangayi said although they agreed with management on Tuesday, they had since taken a different view.
“We want all returning students to be registered without paying the 20% of their debt,” Mantangayi said.
The university has an enrolment figure of 28500, with 75% of that number funded by NSfas.
The university’s Buffalo City campus has maintained order but has not resumed operations.
Buffalo City campus SRC president Luyanda Mgomba said they would maintain a non-violent engagement with the management. — simthandilef@dispatch.co.za
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