by Riante Naidoo | Aug 9, 2015 | News
Members of the international student associations at Wits University have admitted that there is friction between them and the Student Representative Council (SRC). The SRC drafted an international students’ memorandum at the end of last semester which international students are not entirely satisfied with as they felt their concerns simplified and that were not sufficiently consulted. They plan to meet with Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Zeblon Vilakazi by next week Friday ion order to find a way forward.
Tension between international students and the Wits Student Representative Council (SRC), has caused the various international student associations’ at Wits University to join forces.
TENSIONS PEAK: Ayotunde Awosusi, Cedrick Tshizainga and Tinovimbanashe Gwenyaya (L-R) are some of the international students’ committee members who are unhappy with the efforts of the SRC in communicating their struggles to management at Wits University. The unhappiness surrounds the international students’ memorandum which was drafted last semester. Photo: Riante Naidoo
“We have to admit, there has been friction between us and the SRC,” said Tinovimbanashe Gwenyaya, deputy president of the Zimbabwean Students Association.
The friction stemmed from unhappiness around the international students’ memorandum which was drafted by the SRC and handed to Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Vilakazi at the end of last semester. The memorandum was aimed at highlighting concerns faced daily by international students studying at the University.
“There was no adequate consultation by the SRC with International students with regards to the contents, as had been earlier agreed during the mass meeting,” Gwenyaya said.
He added that there is an “attitude of patriarchy towards international students,” and stressed that all they want is not to be treated as “second class” students.
According to Gwenyaya, along with Ayotunde Awosusi, president of the West African Students Union (WASU) and Cedrick Tshizainga, president of the Congolese society, international students “were unhappy about how the meeting was handled,” which called international students together to voice their grievances.
Their concerns were jotted down, however the memorandum was created based solely on those concerns.
They added that the memorandum “simplified the everyday challenges” and “realities” of international students. “It failed to highlight issues on the ground,” Gwenyaya said.
Awosusi said the idea to draft a memorandum was raised last year and was an initiative driven by the international students, not the current SRC.
It was however only drafted in May this year as there were “communication issues”.
“Last year’s SRC council did not have an International Students Affairs Officer,” Tshizainga said. He added that even though they created the portfolio this year, it seemed as though the “SRC did international students a favour by appointing someone.”
Awosusi said that “xenophobia amplified the situation,” which speeded up the drafting process. He said their concerns are usually seen as, “the same old, same old, where nobody sees these guys and nobody hears these guys.”
Their aim is to convey their issues themselves, with the SRC as a bridge between their associations and management.
Gwenyaya said “it does not make sense to have a local student as the SRC’s international student’s officer.”
“You’re looking up to a local student to represent you but she does not have awareness about our realties,” Awosusi said. “She’s trying her best to help us but she doesn’t know anything about us,” Tshizainga added.
The international students and SRC plan to meet with Vilakazi by next week Friday, however Awosusi said they are not “expecting a happy response.”
“We just want to hear the challenges international students face in reality as they are not immune to these ongoing challenges.”
Tanya Otto, who is currently the SRC’s International Students Affairs Officer could not be reached for comment.
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by Riante Naidoo | Jul 24, 2015 | News
The reasons for Jamie Mighti’s resignation has attracted much attention on the Wits University campus this week. In Mighti’s resignation letter to Wits Vice-Chancellor, Professor Adam Habib, he highlighted “irregularities” within the SRC as his reasons for resigning, however there are other reasons which the student body feel may have influenced Mighti’s decision.
Conflict and controversy has surrounded the news of Jamie Mighti’s resignation from the SRC which was made public at the beginning of the week.
Mighti, stepped down as the SRC’s campus wellness officer with immediate effect on July 3 and notified Vice-Chancellor Adam Habib in a letter, which was given to Wits Vuvuzela on Tuesday evening.
In the letter, Mighti said he had lost confidence in the SRC and accused the student council of “several irregularities” including not meeting for several months and mismanaging funds.
Mighti also said he had lost confidence in Vice Chancellor Adam Habib and “his ability and interest in ensuring a functional student body.”
SRC MEANS BUSINESS: Acting SRC president , Shaeera Kalla said they are dealing with the resignation of Jamie Mighti, however students need to be served, so business will carry on as usual. Photo: Riante Naidoo
Shaeera Kalla, acting president of the SRC, told Wits Vuvuzela. “No one knows the true reason behind why Jamie has resigned.” However, Kalla said she believed Mighti was facing disciplinary charges related to an accusation of sexual harassment. Kalla added that neither she nor the SRC was aware of the status of the charge.
“We’re in the dark like everyone else,” Kalla said.
Kalla could not confirm whether Mighti was resigning because of the disciplinary charges “but I think logic would lead to that … If I were in his position I would do that,” she said.
Wits University spokesperson, Shirona Patel, said the university was aware of Mighti’s resignation and confirmed that he was the subject of an investigation but declined to offer further details.
“We can confirm that the University is investigating a matter concerning him but at this stage we are not at liberty to disclose any further details regarding this matter,” Patel said.
Mighti declined to comment to Wits Vuvuzela about his disciplinary hearing.
In his resignation letter, Mighti accused the SRC of failing to meet for several months and said executive SRC members “took decisions which were beyond their constitutional powers”. He also accused the SRC of misusing funds.
“It is my view that the VC was biased in failing to act against Shaeera Kalla and her compatriots within the PYA [Progressive Youth Alliance],” he said in the letter.
Kalla, said she disputes Mighti’s accusations and had a “very fundamental problem” with his claims.
“There was a formal investigation done by [Deputy Vice Chancellor] Prof Tawana Kupe and none of those accusations were true,” she said.
In a report on the investigation that was given to Wits Vuvuzela, the university found that the SRC had not held some meetings nor kept minutes in line with its own constitution. However, it said there was “no evidence of misappropriation or misuse of funds”.
Kalla said Mighti’s resignation was something the SRC has to deal with “but to be honest business goes on as usual as students need to be served”.
She believes the university is “under pressure” because former SRC president, Mcebo Dlamini, was found guilty of a disciplinary charge and “to the outside world it seemed the processes were sped up” for him. “Now there’s another one awaiting his outcome,” she said.
Kalla said the SRC did not tolerate wrongdoing by student leaders: “We condemn any misconduct on behalf of a student leader because the SRC constitution is clear on that and leadership must be held accountable at all times,” she added.
“Our responsibilities are not to Jamie or Mcebo, they are to students,” Kalla said. “I think it’s ridiculous that people think the world must stop because of people like them. There are 31 000 students at Wits, we’ve really got no time for this.”
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by Riante Naidoo | Jul 21, 2015 | Featured 1, News
Jamie Mighti, a member of the Wits SRC has resigned. The reasons for his resignation are currently unknown. Mighti has held leadership positions in the SRC and debating union since 2013.
Rumours have been put to rest as the resignation of Jamie Mighti, Wits SRC’s campus wellness officer, was confirmed earlier today.
“It’s true that Jamie has resigned,” acting SRC president Shaeera Kalla told Wits Vuvuzela.
It is believed his resignation was handed in last week however the reasons are still unclear.
Mighti was initially voted into the SRC in 2013 elections. Mighti ran for re-election last year and was successful, receiving the highest number of votes.
Story developing.
by Riante Naidoo | May 15, 2015 | Featured 1, News
The SRC has drafted an international student’s memorandum which highlights their issues surrounding registration, the application process and up-front tuition payments among several other concerns. The memorandum will be handed to Deputy Vice-Chancellor Vilakazi on May 26.
The SRC has drafted a memorandum highlighting some concerns faced by international students at Wits.
The memorandum is said to detail issues which were raised at a meeting held by the SRC on April, 23 which invited international students to voice their grievances.
Students highlighted the registration fee, application process and 75% up-front tuition fee payment as some of their serious concerns.
Tanya Otto, the SRC’s international affairs officer, said the complaints were raised more strongly as a result of xenophobic attacks last month.
“The anger of international students came across when they said that these issues have been happening forever,” Otto said.
“The violence is an aftermath of what has been happening and institutionalised xenophobia is what’s allowing it to happen.”
The memorandum was compiled by Otto and other international student representatives.
SRC FOR CHANGE: Tanya Otto (left) and Shaeera Kalla (right) discuss fine tuning concerns for the international student’s memorandum which they will present to the DVC later this month. Photo: Riante Naidoo
Shaeera Kalla, acting president of the SRC, described the initial meeting as “hostile” and said her concern is to get international lecturers at Wits to help “push the agenda for international students at Wits and their own issues”.
“I am looking at this memorandum as a first step to negotiations around international issues,” Kalla said.
“The SRC aims to create a platform for international students to feel comfortable enough to speak about their issues without feeling it is just going to be dismissed,” Kalla said.
The SRC felt there was a lack of response from international students at the initial meeting and said she saw the current memorandum as a “working document”.
“There needs to be more issues addressed in the memorandum that relate to other stakeholders,” Kalla said. She said these were international lecturers and international non-academic staff at Wits.
The SRC aims to have events throughout the year in which they can promote international cultures in order to “create a safe environment where international students feel like they are heard,” Kalla said.
Kalla added that the extent to which local students are willing to get involved in international students’ issues and assist them also needs to be acknowledged.
Otto said the memorandum was compiled last week Friday and the SRC will present the memorandum to Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Zeblon Vilakazi on May 26.
Otto and Kalla said of the 15 international student associations on campus, only four have responded and provided input for the memorandum.
“We can’t blame it on unresponsiveness and say that that is the reason for not addressing issues,” Kalla said. “What we need to do is create a space to encourage participation where international student societies don’t feel as though they don’t want to be involved.”
Kalla said the SRC is focused on creating an environment which can foster discussion.
She said they aim to eventually extend the memorandum to focus on broader issues regarding international students and academics issues with home affairs and issues faced by all international visitors.
“We want to contact other universities to discuss these issues and do something about it.”
by Riante Naidoo | Apr 24, 2015 | Featured 1, News
The SRC held a meeting for international students on West campus yesterday. Wits’ international community expressed their grievances about paying seven and a half times more to apply to Wits and highlighted the issues of finding a place to live before the beginning of the academic year due to the registration system. A memorandum will be drawn up and given to the vice chancellor later next week.
International students have accused Wits of treating them unfairly by forcing them to pay most of their fees upfront and charging them an application fee 750% higher than that of South African students.
The students aired their grievances at a meeting held by the SRC which accused Wits of “institutionalised xenophobia”. The meeting, chaired by the SRC’s international students officer, Tanya Otto, encouraged international students to voice their concerns in light of recent xenophobic events.
“Our problems are not monolithic,” said Gwinyai Aubrey, the SRC’s strategic planning officer and himself an international student.
CONCERNED: International students expressed stresses of feeling unwelcome in South Africa. Photo: Riante Naidoo
One issue singled out by international students said the application process needed to be reviewed and highlighted fees as a big issue.
International students are required to pay an application fee of R750 and a 75% upfront tuition fee, as opposed to a R100 application fee and 25% upfront tuition fee for local students.
DOWNCAST: International students voiced their concerns at yesterday’s meeting and suggested improvements Wits can make. Photo: Riante Naidoo
“The university may not deliberately do this, but [it] does exclude some of the best minds in Africa from applying,” said one international student.
International students said the online registration only for South African students was a major problem as many of them study on scholarships from their governments and do not have funding to live off campus before lectures begin.
“It makes no sense to make us come and register in the middle of January when lectures only begin in February,” an international student said.
“Where am I to live for almost a month and who will pay for that?” she added.
Delayed financial aid and a lack of cohesion between local and international students were also highlighted as some of their major concerns.
The SRC has undertaken the task to draft a memorandum which will be given to the vice chancellor, Prof Adam Habib next Thursday.
by Tanisha Heiberg | Mar 15, 2015 | News
Agnes Mkhonza, Tumelo Ratlhago, Charles Simant and Duanne Manake (from right) ready to start getting to know each other at the Speed Dating night at Reith Hall. Photo: Tanisha Heiberg
Tanisha Heiberg
Reith Hall ladies residence held a Speed Dating Fundraiser for the One Million One Month campaign on Friday night.
“This year we saw the need to take the money to the SRC as we can see that our fellow students are suffering, so we just wanted to help…we also believe that charity begins at home,”
“This year we saw the need to take the money to the SRC as we can see that our fellow students are suffering, so we just wanted to help…we also believe that charity begins at home,” said the house committee’s entertainment officer, Mompumelelo Matsimane.
“Last year I had outstanding fees so I went to the SRC and they helped me … if we can also contribute to the SRC then they can come back and help us.” said Matsimane
The ladies were seated on one side and the gentlemen on the other. The couples then had three minutes to get to know each other before they moved on to the next potential candidate for their affections.
“While they were speaking to each other, they scored each other out of 10 in terms of appearance, personality and romance… whichever girl and guy got the highest score we gave prizes”, explained Matsimane
The students were supplied with refreshments to go with the romantic atmosphere, including strawberries and a chocolate fountain. The evening was met with enthusiasm and cheerful mood with many students hoping to meet that special someone.
Kamogelo Khatle, a BA Law student said “It seems like a very fun experience and I’m hoping to find someone…who makes me laugh, who asks different questions, who doesn’t talk about school or what I’m studying.”
But despite the candles and heart shaped balloons not all the students were there to find a potential partner, like Esselen Residence’s house committee member, Lerato Ramotshela who said he was there to support his sister res.
“Currently I’m not single, I’m here tonight for the ladies and gentlemen looking for love because I’m in love.”
The event was also meaningful for many of the students who were either themselves affected by funding or knew someone who was.
The event raised R3200 after participants donated more money to help their fellow students complete their education.
The speed dating event is an annual charity fundraiser which raises money through ticket sales.
tanisha@witsvuvuzela.com
by Roxanne Joseph | Mar 10, 2015 | News
President of the The University of Cape Town (UCT) SRC (Student Representative Council), Ramabina Mahapa, has said that he and other SRC members were not involved in the organising of yesterday’s “poo protest”.
Instead, the organiser was a fourth-year politics student, Chumani Maxwele, who told Independent Online that he protested on behalf of “the collective pain and suffering” of all black people. He also said that he was calling for the removal of the statue.
UCT, he said, has no collective history, alleging that students are “offended” by the architecture and names of buildings on the campus. He then emptied a container of faeces over the statue of Cecil John Rhodes, on the university’s upper campus.
“This poo that we are throwing on the statue represents the shame of black people,” he told Independent Online. “By throwing it on the statue we are throwing our shame to whites’ affluence.”
However, according to Mahapa, the substance used in the protest was manure and not human faeces.
He told Wits Vuvuzela that he “does not condone the act” in terms of procedure and university regulation, but can “sympathise and understand” with Maxwele and his reasons.
“This is mainly because the university hasn’t ever listened to students,” he said.
The university yesterday released a statement that condoned “vandalism of UCT property” and the violation of “health laws”. The vice-chancellor’s office is instigating the incident and has demanded a comprehensive and immediate report.
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by Ilanit Chernick | Mar 6, 2015 | News
SRC DISPUTE: Project W’s Jamie Mighti claims the SRC budget is being mismanaged. Photo: Nqobile Dludla
Project W alleged this week that the SRC budget is being mismanaged by the Progressive Youth Alliance (PYA). Both SRC deputy-president Shaeera Kalla and head of the Student Development and Leadership Unit (SDLU), Lamese Abrahams denied this.
Project W’s Jamie Mighti told Wits Vuvuzela there has been “no transparency” with the SRC budget allocation. According to two previous SRC treasurers, the SRC budget is supposed to be allocated and submitted to SDLU by the last week of February.
“The SRC have not even met yet to discuss it,” Jamie said. He claimed that PYA SRC members had already allocated budgets for their own portfolios during “PYA internal caucuses’”.
“They are deliberately excluding Project W SRC members,” he said, “We have been asking for three weeks now to have a meeting about the portfolio budgets but every time we schedule several SRC members deliberately don’t show up.”
Mighti also said the budget is mostly funded by student fees “so they have the right to objectivity and to see how it is being used which is not what is happening here”.
Deputy president of the SRC Shaeera Kalla said the only reason the SRC hasn’t met yet “is because we have all been busy with the One Million One Month campaign”.
“It’s just a matter of sitting down and working things out,” she said.
“There is no mismanagement of the budget. The only event it has been used for is O-Week.”
Mighti also put forward a claim that the annual vacation stipends given to SRC members were not allocated properly and the process was “corrupt”.
He said that some members of the SRC had given themselves R10 000 whereas others had received zero.
Abrahams said these claims were “inaccurate” and that there had only been “one appeal” about the SRC stipend issue “which has been dealt with accordingly”.
“This is not true. SDLU has complete oversight over both the budget and stipends,” she said, “It is checked all the time, twice or even three times over.”
“There is no action plan here. We are stuck and if the budget issue isn’t dealt with, we will have to take it to the dean or the VC,” Mighti said.
by Ilanit Chernick | Mar 6, 2015 | Featured 1
SUSPENDED: Wits SRC president, Mcebo Dlamini during his speech at the Israel Apartheid Week (IAW) rally this week. Photo: Reuven Blignaut.
By Lutho Mtongana and Ilanit Chernick
Wits Student Representative Council (SRC) president Mcebo Dlamini has been suspended from his position, according to a leaked recording of an emergency meeting between the student leaders and Dean of Students Dr Pamela Dube.
In the recording obtained by Wits Vuvuzela, Dube told SRC members on Monday that a disciplinary hearing had found Dlamini guilty of “assaulting” and insulting senior members of university staff via emails at the end of last year.
As a result, Dlamini has been suspended from his duties as SRC president but would be able to continue studying as a student.
“He is still allowed to carry on with his studies and is still a Wits student during this period,” Dube said in the meeting.
Dlamini was also given a suspended sentence of expulsion for one year, meaning that if he is found guilty of another offence in the next year he will be automatically expelled from the institution.
Dube told the SRC members that Dlamini would have 14 days to appeal the judgement.
Wits Vuvuzela contacted Dube for comment but
was not able to get a response as of press time.
Community service changed to expulsion
Initially, Dlamini had faced two charges of assault and insulting senior members of staff, the first incident taking place before he was elected SRC president. One of the university staff members was director of Residence Life Rob Sharman. The two charges were later combined into a single charge presented at the disciplinary hearing.
Dlamini had been given a punishment for the first charge of 25 hours of community service. Later, this was changed to the suspended sentence of expulsion.
In the recording, Dube said the SRC deputy president, Shaeera Kalla, would become acting president pending Dlamini’s appeal.
“We wish it could be different, we wish they [charges] hadn’t happened … Mcebo knew this was coming”
Dube said that depending on the outcome of the appeal, the SRC would have to “sit down together and try and find a way forward”.
If the appeal “yielded negative outcomes” Dlamini would have to stand down as the SRC president for good. However, if Dlamini wins his appeal he can return to his position.
“We wish it could be different, we wish they [the charges] hadn’t happened … Mcebo knew this was coming,” Dube said in the recording.
However, Dube said the disciplinary process had to unfold despite Dlamini’s status as SRC president: “We don’t just ignore this because someone is a CEO or the SRC president.”
Both Dlamini and Kalla were not available for comment.
Wits Vuvuzela has previously reported that on Feb 28 Dlamini apparently made two Facebook posts announcing his resignation. In one of the posts he said that vice chancellor Prof Adam Habib had used the “racist zionist controlled” Wits Legal Office to find him guilty of misconduct and sentenced him one year of expulsion from the university.
The posts were subsequently deleted hours later.
by Staff Reporter | Mar 5, 2015 | News
Sinethemba Memela has accused two of her classmates of racial abuse. Photo: Palesa Tshandu
Student leaders have expressed outrage over a report that a law student was called a “black bitch” and assaulted by a fellow student outside a lecture hall on Wits Campus.
by Anelisa Tuswa
Sinethemba Memela, 4th year Law, said she was attacked on Monday morning after her Intellectual Property lecture which culminated in a white, female student shouting at her “I will fuckin’ kill you, you black bitch.”
SRC calls for legal action
SRC deputy president Shaeera Kalla called for legal action and said such attacks were not unusual on Wits Campus.
“This is not the first incident of this nature, most students just don’t report racists’ behaviour, and this begs the question: are we then saying that we accept such behaviour as part of our everyday lives?” said Kalla.
“What happened is completely unacceptable. We as the SRC and the university as well need to take transformation more seriously as well.”
According to Memela, the incident started after she “confronted” two female students during the lecture as they mocked the accent of senior lecturer, Dr Malebakeng Forere.
Memela said the students were commenting on Forere’s pronunciation of the word “patent”.
“I turned around and asked them why does it matters how she says patent, we all know what she means,” said Memela.
“I said you’re an unnecessary black bitch”.
Memela said she tried to end the argument by saying the lecturer had a doctorate and did not need to be “undermined”, but added that she heard one of the girls refer to her as an “unnecessary bitch”.
When Memela asked them to repeat what they had said, one of the girls responded: “I said you’re an unnecessary black bitch”.
The verbal attacks later escalated into a physical confrontation as Memela was pulled by one of her aggressors outside the lecture venue. She said the student “pinched my breasts, daring me to beat her”.
The girl, according to Memela, was “screaming and shouting” before yelling “I will fuckin’ kill you, you black bitch.”
Wits investigates incident
Wits spokesperson Shirona Patel said Wits was investigating Memela’s complaint.
“The university can confirm that it is investigating a complaint pertaining to an alleged racist incident that occurred on campus this week,” said Patel.
“The university condemns racism in all its forms and will not tolerate any racist behaviour on its campuses. Witsies are expected to uphold the values of the Constitution and to engage in a tolerant and respectful manner.”
Wits SA Students Congress chairperson Nthabiseng Molefe called the attack a violation of university rules and called on Wits to carry out disciplinary action.
“We are not going to tolerate such unethical behaviour on our Campus,” said Molefe.
“What makes it more distasteful is that they’re law students.”
SRC member Jamie Mighti said the woman who allegedly assaulted Memela was herself a “victim of being taught hate” and called the incident a “moment to teach”. He said the women should not be given a harsh punishment.
“We should find ways to rehabilitate and reintegrate them into society. Harsh punishments only reinforce the hate in a person” he said.
Following the publication of the initial report on Wits Vuvuzela’s website Wednesday evening, dozens of comments were made on the alleged attack via social media.
“What makes it more distasteful is that they’re law students,” said Bakang Huma Morobane on Facebook.
by Ilanit Chernick | Feb 27, 2015 | Sport
WORK IT: First year BSc student Neo Khokhone stretches her work out
partner during bootcamp. Photo: Ilanit Chernick
Wits SRC campus wellness officer Jamie Mighti has challenged Witsies to “get fit” with the SRC’s fitness campaign.
The campaign, which launched on Monday in conjunction with Virgin Active aims to combat obesity and unhealthy lifestyles amongst students, and features a three-week fitness progam.
“We are trying to save lives and create long term longevity of Witsies,” Mighti said.
He encouraged Witsies to join the three-week exercise program as a way of enriching their lives and to create discipline.
“Gyming consistently creates a discipline that will trickle down into both your academic and social life,” he said.
Mighti told Wits Vuvuzela that students are careless about their health and fitness.
“It’s in our twenties when we mold our bodies. We pick up bad habits like smoking, drinking and reckless sex which can affect us for the rest of our lives.”
Mighti encouraged all students both fit and unfit to join because “something is better than nothing”.
“So far we’ve seen around 50 students attend the fitness training but we want to push this to at least 300 students.”
“It’s in our twenties when we mold our bodies. We pick up bad habits like smoking, drinking and reckless sex which can affect us for the rest of our lives.”
His vision together with the SRC is to see Wits becoming the “healthiest university in the world.”
Promoting healthy eating and engagement with physical, emotional and social wellness are on the agenda for this year.
“Wellness is going to be a massive criteria for the university. We want happy and healthy students on our campus.”
Mighti is also working on a “shared bicycle” initiative, which sees students being able to ride bikes around campus to different lecture halls especially when they are far from each other.
By the beginning of the second quarter, Mighti hopes that there will be at least 50 bikes on campus available for students to share-ride and use around campus.
Healthy eating on campus is also a major concern for Mighti. “We need to create a conscious awareness about healthy food especially at the vendors and the food halls at residence.”
“The university hasn’t been serious about health issues and it is time they walk-the-walk. They must take initiatives to improve health on our campus,” he said.
The fitness program will be taking place for the next two weeks on Monday and Friday from 6.30 am to 7.30 am on the Library Lawns.
by Roxanne Joseph | Feb 23, 2015 | News
Classes have resumed at the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) and the University of KwaZulu-Natal campuses after protests at both institutions last week.
TUT evicted students from a number of its campuses during the first week of lectures following violent protests over the financial aid crisis.
All academic activities were suspended until last Friday when an agreement was reached with the university’s student representative council (SRC). A formal agreement is expected to be reached by the end of today according to university spokesperson, Willa de Ruyter.
For the time being, she said, central management and the SRC have agreed that “students cannot lose more time with their studies”.
The university has extended the registration deadline until March 3 to allow students more time, according to de Ruyter.
The first week of lectures at UKZN had also been suspended, but according to the university’s communications department, “everything was back to normal and it is all very peaceful”. It remains unclear as to why students were protesting at the institution although the issue of financial exclusion was raised by the SRC.
