Fort Hare students now on ‘full-blown strike’

The stay-away by the University of Fort Hare's East London campus students has this morning escalated to what they term “full-blown strike”.

In a mini-mass meeting held this morning, students agreed to embark on a strike until the university vice-chancellor  Sakhela Buhlungu come to address them.

On Thursday last week students handed over a memorandum of grievances to Buhlungu who promised to attend to their issues.

Since Tuesday last week, the students have boycotted classes demanding among others:

• The implementation of shuttle services;
• The allocation of food and book allowance with immediate effect;
• The compensation of laptops that were lost because of weak security system at the Union Arcade residence; and
• Reimbursement of the money that was overcharged students in previous year at residence.

SRC's Legal and constitutional affairs officer Lundi Mbutho said Buhlungu responded to their memorandum in a meeting the SRC had with him.

“When we were about to give the response to students this morning they told us we must go on strike until he comes to address them,” he said.

Mbutho said, “until professor Sakhela meet with the students and address them, it was decided that we should embark on a full-blown strike”, he said.

This morning students demonstrated around the Quigney where most of their residences are situated.

Police monitored the situation.