UP closes campus after student clashes

Nzimande calls for academics to resume at UP

Kaveel Singh, News24

Durban – Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande has called on the University of Pretoria and its stakeholders to allow academics to continue while students and management “continue engaging”, his spokesperson has said.

Nzimande on Sunday met with management, students and stakeholders at UP to discuss the ongoing violence.

Students at the university have been protesting over its language policy.

Speaking to News24, his spokesperson Khaye Nkwanyana said all stakeholders agreed to open the campus and denounced intimidation‚ disruption and violence.

“The minister has called on the resumption of the academic programme. He has said that the dialogue amongst all parties must continue. But while this happens, he says academia must start because the students are ultimately suffering.”

Nkwanyana said while all stakeholders agreed on the way forward, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) walked out of the meeting.

When asked if he thought they would cause disruptions, Nkwanyana said: “We hope they are not going to disrupt the university. We appealed for them to continue to come to the table and engage.”

News24
Source
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/nzimande-calls-for-academics-to-resume-at-up-20160228
 
UP open for business – officials confirm

Kaveel Singh, News24

Durban – The University of Pretoria’s Hatfield and Groenkloof campuses will be open on Monday, a university official has confirmed.

The university management have also agreed to set aside time on Monday to engage with the leaders of student structures, at the request of the student leaders, university spokesperson Anna-Retha Bouwer said.

“The discussions tomorrow [Monday] will focus on a number of issues that have been raised by student leaders, and on developing a way forward in seeking to address them,” she added.

Students at the university have been protesting over its language policy.

Bouwer said the decision to reopen the campus and engage students follows meetings that were held during the weekend, including one with Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande on Sunday.

“In his meeting, the minister highlighted the investment of the country in our youth, and the need for the new generation of graduates with skills to contribute to building the national economy. He also noted the potential costs to the country, as well as to individual students, of further disruptions to their academic programmes.

“Minster Nzimande urged students to go back to classes without delay, and at the same time to engage with University management in peaceful discussions to find resolution to their issues.”

Bouwer said more stringent security measures have also been implemented at UP, in order to “ensure the safety of our students and staff”.

“The University will be enforcing an approach of zero tolerance of any disruptive and unlawful behaviour. A court interdict is in place, precluding violence of any sort on our campuses, and we will continue to enforce it strictly, with the assistance of the South African Police Service.”

Classes will resume, according to the timetable as set out in the revised 2016 Calendar (http://www.up.ac.za/keydates).

News24
Source
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/up-open-for-business-officials-confirm-20160228
 
Heavy security not necessary: UP students

Karabo Ngoepe, News24

Pretoria- Several students expressed unhappiness with the heavy security on campus as lectures resumed at the University of Pretoria on Monday, following protests over its language policy.

Students took pictures and videos of the two police Nyalas and four police cars parked outside the gate on Prospect Street. Campus security guards scrutinised student cards.

Final-year meteorology student Lulama Nhlapho said the police presence on campus was intimidating.

"I'm happy to be going back to class because these protests are ridiculous, but seeing the heavy security is like being in jail."

She said students would be divided along racial lines following the protests over the institution’s language policy.

"The campus won't be the same after this because of this racism," Nhlapho said.
SRC member Donovan du Plooy said the extra security was unnecessary.
"All the relevant stakeholders pledged to peaceful engagements. We are very concerned to see a Nyala parked outside. It doesn't create a conducive environment for studying. It's quite intimidating and for those who were actively involved, it might intimidate them," he said.

Students at the university had been protesting over its language policy for the past two weeks. Twenty-seven people were arrested for public violence. They appeared in court last week. Charges against three of them were dropped, leaving only 24 students to stand trial. Their case was postponed to April 7.

The university was closed for a week due to the protests.

Another student, Karabo Sekhukhuni a member of students' movement UPrising, said she was happy with classes resuming, despite not having met with management.

"We had asked for classes not to start until we thrashed out a few issues, but that did not happen. We are fine with classes starting, but the heavy police presence makes me worried.

“I'm worried if there aren't serious crimes being committed in the country if police can just sit at the university," she said.


News24
Source
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/heavy-security-not-necessary-up-students-20160229
 
Final-year meteorology student Lulama Nhlapho said the police presence on campus was intimidating.

"I'm happy to be going back to class because these protests are ridiculous, but seeing the heavy security is like being in jail."
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Such babies...
 
supersunbird said:
Such babies...
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