A bitter battle is looming between the University of Fort Hare’s student representative council (SRC) and politically-aligned student organisations as each blames the other for violence and destruction on the university’s Alice campus on Friday.
The SRC claims students are being victimised for not participating in the violent protests unfolding at the campus.
On Friday, tensions boiled over as a group of 100 students went on a rampage attacking police, damaging private and police cars and destroying a cafeteria.
With Friday’s damages estimated at R500,000, there are fears that the new academic year will be plagued by disruption and destruction of much-needed student resources.
Friday’s outbreak was a dramatic escalation of disgruntlement at the university over distribution of National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) allowances, fee increments and registration of post-graduate students.
Protesting students want NSFAS allowances to be paid directly into their bank accounts, not via the current Intellimali distribution system.
The Alice campus’s SRC has distanced itself from the protests.
SRC president Life Mabaso claimed members of the EFF student command and South African Students’ Congress (Sasco) began with a strike on Monday last week as the university commenced with lectures for the current academic year.
“They started the strike on Monday but did not have numbers and went around gathering students throughout the week. They poured water underneath the doors of those students who do not want to be a part of the strike and damaged student laptops and refrigerators,” Mabaso said.
“The SRC is not behind this. We are in constant engagement with management. The protest was decided at a mass meeting on Friday. We usually protest inside the institution. Not all students are part of this.
“It is a certain group that managed to strengthen their numbers and went out the main gate of the school and closed the main road in Alice.”
However, EFF student command chair and student Bandile Noguda rubbished the SRC’s claims, saying it was in fact the SRC which led Friday’s protest.
“The SRC is correct to say they were not part of the strike when it started – they only got involved on Friday at the mass meeting where it was agreed that the strike would be a full-blown protest,” Noguda said.
“The violent protest was led by the SRC. Before they joined, the strike was peaceful and the resolution to make it violent was taken by the SRC.”
Phumlani Msenge of Sasco said the strike had been started by political organisations, encouraged to do so by students.
“The SRC could not make a meeting [with management] while students remained frustrated. The decision to protest on Friday was a consensus by all students,” Msenge said.
The protesters disrupted the flow of traffic and pelted passing vehicles with stones.
“Six police officers attempted to stop them but the students attacked the police and chased after them. One officer was injured. Eight cars were damaged and one car was completely destroyed,” Mabaso said.
Eastern Cape police spokesperson Captain Khaya Tonjeni said 12 people – six men and six women aged 20 to 32 – had been arrested and charged with public violence. They will appear at the Alice magistrate’s court on Monday.
Mabaso said: “One of the things we have always highlighted is that we cannot have a mass meeting in the first week [of the new academic year]. Some students are still facing other challenges, such as registration and accommodation. Now we have already missed a week of studying.
“They [protesters] just persuaded the students to strike and then left to go and celebrate their victory.”
He added that the main issue was the distribution of students’ funds.
“For the first time at the university, students were going to be loaded with funds in the first month. That usually only happens around March. Students are saying they do not want a middleman or Intellimali. They want the money to go straight to their bank accounts. But the university says they do not have the capacity to do that.”
The campus cafeteria was destroyed on Friday evening.
“They broke in and stole everything that was there, including food and cutlery. The place is a mess. The damage on campus and at the cafeteria could cost around R500,000,” Mabaso said.
University vice-chancellor Professor Sakhele Buhlungu and spokesperson Lizo Phiti could not be reached for comment at the weekend.
Students were gathered at the campus’ sports complex on Sunday to decide whether they would return to classes on Monday or continue with the protest...