Walter Sisulu University has obtained an urgent interim interdict prohibiting students at its Mthatha campus from damaging, destroying or stealing university property or in any way acting unlawfully on the campus.
Students have embarked on a violent protest over the non-payment of their National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) allowances.
But, WSU registrar Khaya Maphinda says in an affidavit that the payment delays were not the university’s fault.
NSFAS had announced in February that NSFAS payments would be made through the universities into students’ private banking accounts.
NSFAS required that the payments be made by the university into students’ personal bank accounts. But, he says, many of the students were still opening bank accounts. Of the students who had provided banking details, some were wrong and many others’ bank details had not yet been approved by NSFAS.
WSU secures interdict amid chaos in Mthatha
Image: SINO MAJANGAZA / FILE
Walter Sisulu University has obtained an urgent interim interdict prohibiting students at its Mthatha campus from damaging, destroying or stealing university property or in any way acting unlawfully on the campus.
Students have embarked on a violent protest over the non-payment of their National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) allowances.
But, WSU registrar Khaya Maphinda says in an affidavit that the payment delays were not the university’s fault.
NSFAS had announced in February that NSFAS payments would be made through the universities into students’ private banking accounts.
NSFAS required that the payments be made by the university into students’ personal bank accounts. But, he says, many of the students were still opening bank accounts. Of the students who had provided banking details, some were wrong and many others’ bank details had not yet been approved by NSFAS.
Three-week boycott forces WSU to shut two campuses
He said the students had made certain demands about payment which the university could not meet until the students themselves had met the requirements set by NSFAS.
As a result of this students had embarked on violent and destructive behaviour to try to force the university to follow a course of action it was not able to meet. The students had disrupted traffic on major routes, and there had been looting and damage to property.
They had not only looted the university canteen, kitchen, and freezers, and stolen university computers but had also looted local shops in Mthatha.
They had also held staff hostage. Vice-chancellor Professor Rob Midgley finally closed the campus and sent students home.
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