Pretoria - Talks between the Student Representative Council (SRC) and the management of the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) are reportedly making progress.
By yesterday afternoon, student leaders said they were in talks with management in a bid to resolve the issues raised with them since Tuesday.
The academic programme remains suspended pending the outcome of the talks.
By yesterday afternoon SRC member Musa Maringa said the talks were moving in a positive direction.
The university’s Phaphama Tshisikhawe said: “We are having a meeting with the SRC as we speak.”
Tshisikhawe said the university would provide an update when the meeting concluded, and hopefully provide details on plans to resume the academic programme.
Student protests at TUT and Wits University in Joburg have been thrust into the spotlight in recent days, forcing the two institutions to temporarily suspend their academic programmes to deal with the clashes.
Before that, student unrest erupted at the University of Pretoria over the National Student Financial Aid Scheme cap, particularly regarding accommodation, and at UCT.
But TUT and Wits University were the only institutions that were forced to suspend their academic programmes.
At TUT, students raised concerns over how the university was forging ahead with tests while the registration processes were ongoing. They also said they were not happy with what they said was the deplorable state of student residences and the fact that tests were being written while meal allowances had not been allocated.
According to students, some residences had no beds and in others they were forced to make do with minimal ablution facilities.
While talks at TUT were moving forward, an update on the 24-hour pause by Wits University students protesting over fees and accommodation had not been reviewed.
Reports indicated that the student structure agreed to the pause pending the university’s removal of private security guards and police from the campus, and the lifting of the suspension of six students, including Wits SRC president Aphiwe Mnyamana.
Pretoria News