The vice-chancellor of the University of Fort Hare says the student grievances that led to the East London campus shutdown should have been dealt with last year, that the university had failed to play its part and it was now playing catch-up.
Speaking to the Daily Dispatch yesterday after the students went on the rampage and set tyres alight in Quigney, VC Sakhela Buhlungu said the grievances raised by students were legitimate.
“All the issues that are on the table are old issues that arise from previous discussions. Some of them are previous agreements that were not implemented or actions that were not undertaken.”
Buhlungu said for example the university had known since September there would be a shortage of student accommodation.
“It was clear that we were going to have a shortfall of 250 beds in East London.
“That should have been attended to in September or October so that our supply chain people could issue tenders – this was not done.
“At end of January I attended a council meeting just as an observer.
“At that time there was a scramble to find accommodation and this was a week or so before the students arrived.
“Some buildings were found but were not suitable for student residence, so the search continued. The students were already here, students now are sleeping all over the place in very unpleasant places that would anger any student,” Buhlungu said.
Buhlungu took over as VC on February 1. Dr Mvuyo Tom’s five-year tenure came to an end in December.
The student unrest started with a class boycott last Wednesday and this week students said their actions had now escalated to a “full-blown strike”. Among the list of the students’ demands are:
lImplementation of shuttle services;
lAllocation of food and book allowances with immediate effect;
lCompensation for laptops that were lost because of a weak security system at the Union Arcade residence;
lReimbursement of money that was overcharged from students in previous years at residence; and
lMore student accommodation to be made available.
The university had managed to address some issues such as sourcing the outstanding accommodation and agreeing to see that those who lost their laptops were compensated.
But students instead intensified their action, saying they were not going back to class until all their demands were met. — arethal@dispatch.co.za