Protesting Buffalo City College (BCC) students say the college had acquired the services of gun-wielding “tavern” bouncers to evict them from the FET college’s campuses and residence.
Teaching and learning were interrupted at the college last week when students embarked on a protest over student elections, which they claim were not free and fair.
The protest intensified this week when students and management disagreed on the allowance amounts for meals and transport funded by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS). The money is paid into their student loan accounts.
When the Daily Dispatch arrived at the college’s St Marks campus yesterday morning, students were singing outside locked gates and the men said to be bouncers were sitting on the other side of the gate.
About 15 police officers where keeping watch.
Student, Andisa Ketse claimed one of the bouncers threw a rubbish bin at
her and threatened to kill her.
“One student was hit by a car because he was running away from the bouncers. These people are supposed to be securing the school but are here to threaten and hurt us,” said Ketse.
A number of students made the same claims as Ketse, with some claiming the bouncers had pointed firearms at them.
Sipho Tyekana, owner of the security company hired by the college, said the firearm was not real.
“It is a plastic gun. We just used it to scare and disperse the students,” said Tyekana.
Mpumelelo Sicatsha, a former EFF student command candidate, said: “The school management knew students would take action to show their frustration over the unfair election processes, so they brought these bouncers in as security measures.”
Sicatsha said although only 268 out of 4000 students had voted, the elections were deemed valid by college management.
“The rules are clear. When less than 25% of students vote, the elections should be deemed invalid. As a
result we do not recognise this newly elected SRC,” he said.
Newly elected SRC member, Cat Mangope-Moji, said despite the new SRC not being recognised by some of the students they were still representing the students and working towards finding solutions.
“If opposition parties say the elections were not fair they need to raise that with management and the Independent Electoral Commission.
“As for the meal and transport allowance, there is a misunderstanding.
“Management says students can only get R1000 a month, while students say they are suppose to get R1500. We are still working on resolving that,” she said.
Yesterday morning students were notified that those who were protesting would be evicted from their residence.
The notice states: “The security personnel will be instructed to remove all students at residence should the disruptions continue.”
Questions were sent by the Dispatch to the college’s acting principal, Peter Hing, but no response was received at the time of writing. — arethal@dispatch.co.za
‘Tavern-style guards hired to evict us’
Teaching and learning were interrupted at the college last week when students embarked on a protest over student elections, which they claim were not free and fair.
The protest intensified this week when students and management disagreed on the allowance amounts for meals and transport funded by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS). The money is paid into their student loan accounts.
When the Daily Dispatch arrived at the college’s St Marks campus yesterday morning, students were singing outside locked gates and the men said to be bouncers were sitting on the other side of the gate.
About 15 police officers where keeping watch.
Student, Andisa Ketse claimed one of the bouncers threw a rubbish bin at
her and threatened to kill her.
“One student was hit by a car because he was running away from the bouncers. These people are supposed to be securing the school but are here to threaten and hurt us,” said Ketse.
A number of students made the same claims as Ketse, with some claiming the bouncers had pointed firearms at them.
Sipho Tyekana, owner of the security company hired by the college, said the firearm was not real.
“It is a plastic gun. We just used it to scare and disperse the students,” said Tyekana.
Mpumelelo Sicatsha, a former EFF student command candidate, said: “The school management knew students would take action to show their frustration over the unfair election processes, so they brought these bouncers in as security measures.”
Sicatsha said although only 268 out of 4000 students had voted, the elections were deemed valid by college management.
“The rules are clear. When less than 25% of students vote, the elections should be deemed invalid. As a
result we do not recognise this newly elected SRC,” he said.
Newly elected SRC member, Cat Mangope-Moji, said despite the new SRC not being recognised by some of the students they were still representing the students and working towards finding solutions.
“If opposition parties say the elections were not fair they need to raise that with management and the Independent Electoral Commission.
“As for the meal and transport allowance, there is a misunderstanding.
“Management says students can only get R1000 a month, while students say they are suppose to get R1500. We are still working on resolving that,” she said.
Yesterday morning students were notified that those who were protesting would be evicted from their residence.
The notice states: “The security personnel will be instructed to remove all students at residence should the disruptions continue.”
Questions were sent by the Dispatch to the college’s acting principal, Peter Hing, but no response was received at the time of writing. — arethal@dispatch.co.za
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