Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) students are being
blocked from entering Soshanguve campuses despite receiving text messages from
university management informing them that classes would resume on Thursday. The
Students’ Representative Council (SRC) has been leading a strike since last
week.
Management has been negotiating with the student leaders
and the texts requesting them to return to classes were sent after those
meetings had been conducted, but on Thursday the SRC said the strike had not
ended as their demands had not been met.
On Thursday morning a group of students was burning
various material at the Soshanguve campus gates, stopping those returning to
lectures from entering university campuses. On Wednesday the protest moved from
Soshanguve to the Pretoria West campus where fire was also lit to stop others
from entering the university.
One of the demands is that the fate of more than 500
students on the waiting list of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme of
South Africa (NSFAS) be decided. If these students aren’t granted financial aid
before the end of the academic year then their results would be blocked as they
would have to pay thousands of Rand required for their tuition, money many
students say they do not have.
The culture of striking in TUT is quite interesting. As a former Political Activist and student leader in the campus, it saddens me that there has not been any kind of reform in the nature of resolve in our Institutions.
ReplyDeleteOne may ignorantly accuse student leaders of hooliganism, but the bone of contention between such leaders and management is often a stinging reality. One that requires political and professional reconciliation.
The government of the state needs to be more attentive to students recieving training in "previously" disadvantaged institutions.
We speak of transformation in most facets of society, question is, even in this information and technology era, do we still need to sweat blood to achieve this?
I speak for students who have been subject to the inconsistance in this whole NSFAS business. It is ridiculous, just pathetic that some even gave up school because of this maladministrated division. Many students have suffered severely in their academic careers, some student leaders almost martyred. What for?
Let it be known that there are real injustices in the system of the institution, both politically and administratively.
Hopefully management and students will reach a practical decision. This hopefully will be followed by well thought corrective measures. It is time for a new precedent to be set in our Campus. And a possible revision of our leadership style.
Good work Journ'Tau. Keep it up yeah.
The credibility of this publication is under a serious threat!
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