The staff strike at Walter Sisulu University (WSU) took a new turn yesterday when students joined in the demand for the resignation of the vice-chancellor Rob Midgley.
Buffalo City Campus SRC president Vuyo Langeni said they had been called to a meeting by the labour unions to be given an update on the wage issue. He said they discovered there were common issues that included the removal of Midgley.
The university, which has 31000 students and 2000 workers, came to a complete standstill yesterday.
Workers are demanding a raise of 8% while the university maintains it can afford no more than 6.3%.
WSU management and the unions have been engaged in wage talks since November. At the Potsdam campus a crowd of 150 workers were singing a Midgley must go song and toyi-toying and waving placards.
Staff demonstrations were also held at Ibika campus in Butterworth, Komani and the Mthatha campuses.
On Tuesday, the unions wrote to Midgley instructing him to resign, and blamed him for the university losing a number of qualification accreditations, creating a bloated organogram, and they questioned a procurement of a fleet of vehicles.
Yonela Tukwayo said the unions would deliver a petition calling for Midgley’s resignation.
“We are currently on strike. The VC has received the letter from the unions,” said Tukwayo. —
simthandilef@dispatch.co.za
Striking students also want VC out
Image: File
The staff strike at Walter Sisulu University (WSU) took a new turn yesterday when students joined in the demand for the resignation of the vice-chancellor Rob Midgley.
Buffalo City Campus SRC president Vuyo Langeni said they had been called to a meeting by the labour unions to be given an update on the wage issue. He said they discovered there were common issues that included the removal of Midgley.
The university, which has 31000 students and 2000 workers, came to a complete standstill yesterday.
Workers are demanding a raise of 8% while the university maintains it can afford no more than 6.3%.
WSU management and the unions have been engaged in wage talks since November. At the Potsdam campus a crowd of 150 workers were singing a Midgley must go song and toyi-toying and waving placards.
Staff demonstrations were also held at Ibika campus in Butterworth, Komani and the Mthatha campuses.
On Tuesday, the unions wrote to Midgley instructing him to resign, and blamed him for the university losing a number of qualification accreditations, creating a bloated organogram, and they questioned a procurement of a fleet of vehicles.
Yonela Tukwayo said the unions would deliver a petition calling for Midgley’s resignation.
“We are currently on strike. The VC has received the letter from the unions,” said Tukwayo. —
simthandilef@dispatch.co.za
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