Lectures at WSU campuses ground to halt

Academic programmes have ground to a halt at two Walter Sisulu University campuses after students decided to go on strike.

Since last week, students at the university’s Nelson Mandela Drive site on Mthatha campus boycotted classes over issues relating to accommodation and “academic exclusion” of fellow students.

This morning, all five sites at the Buffalo City campus were without students as they resolved to embark on a strike during a mass meeting they held at the university’s East London (College Street) site on Monday

SRC president at the Mthatha campus Mxolisi Zoko told DispatchLIVE that students have not been attending classes since early last week.

“Our demands include the provision of accommodation to all students. Another burning issue is that of students who are unable to register because they are owing the university,” he said.

At the time of writing, students were still in a mass meeting discussing a way forward.

SRC secretary at the Buffalo City campus Luvo Quvile said their main issue was residences that were not meeting the standards stipulated by the department of higher education and training.

“We have students that live in rooms that have broken doors or broken windows,” he said.

Quvile said they have been negotiating with the management to fix all the issues, “but nothing has happened”, he said. ​