University Protests 2016

Varsities spending R2m per month on security since #FeesMustFall

Lizeka Tandwa, News24

Johannesburg – Universities are spending as much as R2m per month on security at campuses since the #FeesMustFall campaign took off in October last year, Gauteng university vice chancellors said on Monday.

Vice chancellors in Gauteng held a press briefing on Monday calling for a smooth start to the academic year. It was attended by vice chancellors from Wits University, University of South Africa, University of Pretoria, Tshwane University of Technology, University of Johannesburg and Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University.

University of Johannesburg Vice Chancellor Ihron Rensburg said they were spending a considerable amount of resources on security, which could be better utilised elsewhere.

"Some of us are spending R1.5m to R2m a month. It’s not sustainable, hence we appeal to the community to step forward and assist us in obviating this situation.

"We are spending resources in order to protect the lives of our students, staff and to protect facilities and heritage that has been built up in our institutions over decades. This is the reason for our call today for the public to respond and work with us to secure this academic year to be free from violence...," Rensburg said.

Rensburg said Gauteng universities could not withdraw security from campuses because this would leave them vulnerable to attacks.

"If we were simply to withdraw security and court orders, we would leave our campuses vulnerable to violence... This expense can stop tomorrow, but that is subject to protests becoming peaceful," he said.

Several universities suspended registration after disruptions by students last week. Students were demanding free registration for all academically qualified students.

#FeesMustFall is a student led protest movement that began in mid-October 2015 in response to an increase in fees at South African universities.

Protests started at the Wits University and spread to the University of Cape Town and Rhodes University, before rapidly spreading to other universities across the country.

President Jacob Zuma eventually declared that there would be a no fee increases in 2016.

News24
Source
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/N...month-on-security-since-feesmustfall-20160118
 
schumi said:
Lizeka Tandwa, News24

Johannesburg – Universities are spending as much as R2m per month on security at campuses since the #FeesMustFall campaign took off in October last year, Gauteng university vice chancellors said on Monday.

Vice chancellors in Gauteng held a press briefing on Monday calling for a smooth start to the academic year. It was attended by vice chancellors from Wits University, University of South Africa, University of Pretoria, Tshwane University of Technology, University of Johannesburg and Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University.

University of Johannesburg Vice Chancellor Ihron Rensburg said they were spending a considerable amount of resources on security, which could be better utilised elsewhere.

"Some of us are spending R1.5m to R2m a month. It’s not sustainable, hence we appeal to the community to step forward and assist us in obviating this situation.

"We are spending resources in order to protect the lives of our students, staff and to protect facilities and heritage that has been built up in our institutions over decades. This is the reason for our call today for the public to respond and work with us to secure this academic year to be free from violence...," Rensburg said.

Rensburg said Gauteng universities could not withdraw security from campuses because this would leave them vulnerable to attacks.

"If we were simply to withdraw security and court orders, we would leave our campuses vulnerable to violence... This expense can stop tomorrow, but that is subject to protests becoming peaceful," he said.

Several universities suspended registration after disruptions by students last week. Students were demanding free registration for all academically qualified students.

#FeesMustFall is a student led protest movement that began in mid-October 2015 in response to an increase in fees at South African universities.

Protests started at the Wits University and spread to the University of Cape Town and Rhodes University, before rapidly spreading to other universities across the country.

President Jacob Zuma eventually declared that there would be a no fee increases in 2016.

News24
Source
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/N...month-on-security-since-feesmustfall-20160118
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Throw them in jail. They don't deserve to be in varsity.
 
Petrol bombing at Tuks protest

Violence hit the University of Pretoria (UP) on Monday when a truck was petrol bombed by protesters.

Police spokesperson Lieutenant Kay Makhubela said no arrests had been made by Monday afternoon.

“One or two protesters threw petrol bombs at a truck parked on the university premises. There was no severe damage to the truck and no one was injured,” he told Rekord.

The university remained closed on Monday after shutting its doors last week as workers took to protest against the outsourcing of staff at the institution.
Click to expand...


More at:http://rekordeast.co.za/78395/petrol-bombing-at-tuks-protest/
 
Wits management, SRC strike deal over fees

Jenni Evans, News24

Cape Town – No Wits student will be excluded because they cannot make their first fee payment before enrolment or registration, according to an agreement the university has reached with the SRC.

Advanced students would be able to see their progress reports, even if they still owed money, and an agreement for the repayment of outstanding debts had been reached, both parties said on Tuesday.

Arrangements would be made to help those who did not have enough food.

Last year's #FeesMustFall protests were revived at some universities at the start of registration. This led to at least four institutions, including the University of the Witwatersrand, obtaining interdicts against protesters.

After Wits closed for on-site registration, Vice Chancellor Professor Adam Habib issued an impassioned plea that registration be allowed to continue, especially for those who had travelled from far.

It was further agreed that all students who owed Wits up to R1 000 as at December 31 2015 would be allowed to register in 2016. The outstanding debt for 2015 would be rolled over to 2016. This would benefit around 3 607 students this year. All students who could show that they were fully funded for 2016 would be allowed to register. They would have to sign an acknowledgement of debt for fees owed in 2015.
Wits would work with the SRC to raise funds to clear the debt of approximately 1 284 students who owed between R1 001 and R5 000 as at December 31 2015. If this was successful, these students would be allowed to register in 2016.

The SRC and Wits would approach the Gauteng government to cover the debt of about 1 418 students who owed between R5 001 and R20 000. If successful, these students would be allowed to register for the 2016 academic year.

The children of workers who qualify for university would get a full funding package, including tuition and accommodation.

The university would decide on the proposed minimum wage demand of between R4 500 and R5 000 for workers like cleaners and gardeners, and report more frequently on efforts to employ contract workers directly.

They agreed that they needed to find non-violent and amicable ways to resolve issues.

The outcome of appeals against National Students Financial Aid Scheme decisions would be made known immediately after each meeting of the appeals committee.

Wits would give the SRC data to substantiate the need for state intervention on debt clearance for the "missing middle" - those not rich enough to afford tuition, but not poor enough to qualify for funding.

The university said it needed 24 hours to adjust its administrative processes to accommodate the agreement.

The University of Pretoria had also closed because of protests. Spokesperson Anna-Retha Bouwer said a meeting was underway on Tuesday to resolve issues which were similar to those at Wits.

Meanwhile, SRC representatives walked out of a meeting arranged by the SA Council of Churches, accusing it of being a government mouthpiece.
Earlier in January, Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande said R16bn would be made available to support students and help universities cover their funding shortfalls.

This was after President Jacob Zuma announced in October last year that fees for 2016 would not increase.

News24
Source
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/wits-management-src-strike-deal-over-fees-20160119
 
Shame the kids should of learnt how to weed gardens and iron, expecting more from them is unfair. That is why they don't know how to express their frustration - they aren't meant for uni...
 
Wits SRC launches campaign to raise funds for poor students

Jeanette Chabalala, News24

Johannesburg – The Wits University student representative council (SRC) launched an Access campaign on Sunday which aims to raise funds for students who cannot afford tertiary education.

Wits SRC secretary general Fasiha Hassan told News24 that they hoped to have raised R10m by the end of February for missing middle students.

She said that, so far, they had received R2.6m from corporate companies.

"We want to help the thousands of students that don’t qualify for NSFAS funding, but they still can’t afford their tuition fees - and we are calling everyone to come to the party, to help us reach that goal," she said.

Meanwhile, the University of the Free State’s (UFS) SRC members have already raised more than R1.2m for students who cannot afford tuition fees this year.

SRC president Lindokuhle Ntuli said they had received donations from students, lecturers, businesses and the community.

He said SRC members had pledged R500 from their own pockets towards their Right to Learn campaign.

The fundraising started last year after the #FeesMustFall campaign.

Ntuli said the money would be used to help needy students with textbooks, food and tuition fees.

"Students... would have to approach the SRC offices and sign an application form and then we will assist them with their fees."

He said they hoped to reach R5m by April 4.

In October last year, university students across the country embarked on nationwide protests against the rising cost of tertiary education.

Towards the end of that month, President Jacob Zuma announced that university fees would not increase in 2016.


News 24
Source
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/N...ign-to-raise-funds-for-poor-students-20160131
 
#TUT protests: Students being turned away

PRETORIA – Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) students who have made it onto the Pretoria West campus say they’re being turned away by staff.

The university was scheduled to reopen today, but has been disrupted by demonstrating contract workers who have blocked the main entrance.

The workers are demanding that they be absorbed into the university workforce immediately with a R10,000 monthly salary.
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More at:http://ewn.co.za/2016/02/01/TUT-protests-Students-being-turned-away-by-staff
 
DUT suspends lectures after student protest

Spokesperson, Alan Khan says the decision comes after a memorandum was handed over to the Vice-Chancellor yesterday following protests by the SRC.


"So we decided to suspend the academic programme for today only just to create an environment and platform so we can have cordial discussions with the SRC. We will resume the academic programme tomorrow morning," he said.
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More at:https://www.ecr.co.za/news-sport/news/dut-suspends-lectures-after-student-protest/
 
DUT suspends classes after protests over student’s suicide

Jeff Wicks, News24

Durban - The Durban University of Technology on Tuesday announced that the academic programme had been suspended for two days in the wake of widespread student protests.

Students gathered at DUT’s City and Steve Biko campuses on Monday after a student had purportedly taken his own life on Friday night after being denied National Student Financial Aid Scheme assistance.

Lindelani Myeza, who was living in the Persada Residence in Berea, Durban, fell to his death from the 6th floor of the building.

Myeza was a first-year student in the University’s Management Sciences Faculty.

He was already registered as a first year student and entered residence last Tuesday, February 9 2016.

According to a statement issued by DUT spokesperson Alan Khan, the decision to cancel lectures was taken after an executive meeting.

“We apologise for this second break in the academic calendar, however, we feel that this 48 hour suspension will give us a chance to further respond to the issues raised by the SRC in Durban and Pietermaritzburg,” he said.

“We have agreed, in consultation with the SRC, to continue with the student registration process and to keep the finance and financial aid offices open to assist our students.”

“The university is not closing. Our administration and support services will be operational. The academic programme will resume on Thursday, 18 February 2016,” he said.

News24
Source
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/N...after-protests-over-students-suicide-20160216
 
DUT suicide student was given financial aid - Nzimande

Cape Town - The Durban University of Technology (DUT) student who committed suicide was given National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) funding and had been informed, High Education Minister Blade Nzimande said on Tuesday.

According to rumours circulating at the university, Lindelani Myeza took his own life on Friday night after being denied NSFAS assistance.

However, Nzimande said he had been in contact with DUT and NSFAS and had been informed that Myeza's funding had been approved.

"I read the story [on Monday] morning... and as soon as I read it I got in touch with the university and NSFAS," he told reporters in Parliament.

The minister quoted from a NSFAS statement confirming Myeza's funding had been approved.
Click to expand...

More at:http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/dut-suicide-student-was-given-financial-aid-nzimande-20160216
 
51 WSU students out on bail after violent protests

Mpho Raborife, News24

East London - Fifty-one Walter Sisulu University students have been released on bail following their arrest during a spate of violent protests on its East London campus, the university said on Wednesday.

University spokesperson Yonela Tukwayo said it was not clear who had paid for their bail after they appeared in court on Tuesday morning.

They spent Monday night in jail.

Police charged them with public violence and public disturbance. The university had not pressed any charges against the group, she said.

East London police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Mtati Tana could not immediately provide the date of their next court appearance.
Students brought the Buffalo City campus to a halt last week and blockaded entrances.

Last Friday, the Student Representative Council handed a list of demands to the executive.

"They put down their demands and they said that they wanted every single one of their demands met," Tukwayo said.

These included having a new residence be built.

"Obviously that goes into hundreds of millions of rands. It's projects that you need to plan for way in advance, look for financial support and sponsors, and then you build. So some of those demands we were not able to meet."

During a meeting earlier on Wednesday, students undertook to allow workers to return to their jobs on Thursday, and promised go back to classes on Monday, Tukwayo said.


News24
Source
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/51-wsu-students-out-on-bail-after-violent-protests-20160217
 
You would think students would get it through their heads that the universities obviously can't do much about the issues. I mean you see protests every single year, sometimes multiple times a year. It clearly hurts the university to have these protests so one would think solving the issues before they get out of hand would be in their best interest. Yet they always get out of hand which must indicate that these institutions just don't have the capacity to keep up. Something students should realise.
 
WSU's Mthatha protesters loot, damage property

Mpho Raborife, News24

Mthatha - Student representatives at Walter Sisulu University's Mthatha campus are in talks with management following violent protests at the institution this week.

The talks, at a neutral venue in East London, followed extensive damage protesting students caused on the campus on Tuesday and Wednesday, university spokesperson Yonela Tukwayo said.

"They have burnt a number of our fleet cars, they have damaged private property, they continue to burn property, they have looted the warehouse, they have looted the campus kitchen which supplies the cafeteria - the food that the kids end up eating and buying. So there has been widespread vandalism on the Mthatha campus,” she said.

Interim vice chancellor Khaya Mfenyana shut the campus on Tuesday. Students were told to vacate their residences until calm was restored.
"Unfortunately, the kids are still on campus and more cars were burnt today after being instructed to leave campus completely, including the residence. They said they would only leave if there was a court order directing them to leave the campus."

Tukwayo said security guards and police were on the campus.

"SAPS has been working tirelessly in the last few days to get the situation under control, but it is very disappointing that students can damage the very property that is used to support them in their education," she said.

Meanwhile, 51 Walter Sisulu University students were released on bail on Tuesday following their arrest during violent protests on its East London campus.


News24
Source
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/wsus-mthatha-protesters-loot-damage-property-20160217
 
Riot police, empty campus..

If students are caught on campus after that, then rubber bullets and arrest.
 
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