By: Lesego Makgatho
Following the Council meeting held this past weekend, the University of the Witwatersrand planned to keep its academic programme under several conditions.
On Monday morning classes were disrupted as protesters marched around campus mobilising students, while trying to gain access to the barricaded Great Hall.
Shots and stun grenades were fired and water canons were used in an attempt to disperse the crowd.
Wits SRC Secretary General Fasiha Hassan said the tuition fee crisis is a national crisis and it been going on for years. “University management by virtue of how they are playing the situation, are allowing themselves to become a buffer between the students and the state. Our call is to university management to join us to support the call to free education so we can move together as one unit. Let's talk about the real silent majority. The real majority in this country are millions of black students who by virtue of being poor, might never be able to enter the doors of university. Not because they're not smart but because they won't be able to afford education. Who is fighting for them? Who is speaking for them? No one but us,” added Hassan.
Bishop Seoka on behalf of the mediation team said: “Ours is to reorganise the Council meeting which was cancelled on Friday. We're trying to put the student leadership with management for them to talk and work together as students are determined that they will close the university. Students are saying 'Join us and stay with us in free quality education.' All that's needed is for vice councillors to come out and address the students.”
A statement by the Wits senior executive read as follows:
“Following the disruption of classes on the Parktown and Braamfontein campuses, this morning, hundreds of students gathered outside the Great Hall, demanding access to Solomon Mahlangu House even though we had allocated designated areas for protest. Several of Wits’ classes on various campuses are continuing today, albeit with low numbers. Where Heads of Schools are comfortable for the academic programme to continue, classes should resume.”
According to Wits spokesperson Shirona Patel two arrests were made on campus and three arrests were made off campus on Monday morning, and some minor injuries have also been reported.
@ElleSego
Independent Media