Johannesburg - Witwatersrand University Vice-Chancellor and Principal Adam Habib on Monday said that anyone caught contravening any university rules or the court interdict, or infringing on the rights of others, would immediately be held accountable for their actions, and may face criminal charges.
Protesting students declared that the university would not be open until their demands for free education were met, agreeing with management that the academic programme would resume on Tuesday.
“Given the harassment of some staff today, I am left with no choice but to open tomorrow with a full security contingent throughout our campuses. We will have security and police services deployed on all campuses and in all buildings,” Habib said.
“No mass meetings will be allowed in Solomon Mahlangu House. I have personally received reassurances from the police, from private security and Campus Control that they are on board to secure the campus and protect the lives of students and staff who want to learn and work.”
Habib pleaded with staff members as well as students to assist with “taking back their campus” as the academic programme opens tomorrow.
“It is not ideal to attend classes with police at the doors of learning, but I am left with no choice,” he said.
“If we do not get this right tomorrow, we have no choice but to close the university, which will compromise the 2016 academic programme and the lives of all 37 000 students.”
Habib added that closing the university would mean that all students would have to move out of residences before the end of the week.
“It means that there will be fewer teachers, doctors, lawyers and accountants in the workplace. It means that students on financial aid, scholarships and bursaries may lose their funding. It means that Wits will not be able to enrol first years in January – we have 75 000 applications for 2017 already,” he said.
Habib concluded his statement by telling staff members and students that the consequences of a shutdown were far-reaching and such a decision should be one of last resort.
“I therefore plead with you to work with me once more to try to save the 2016 academic year, and the future of this great university.”
AFRICAN NEWS AGENCY