Wits clamps down on protest

25 May 2016 - 14:59 By Pericles Anetos

Exams at the University of the Witwatersrand have not been disrupted‚ but the university has beefed up security after protests by workers on campus. Wits spokesman Shirona Patel said that security had been tightened as a result of a small protest on Tuesday. A group of about 30 workers had attempted to disrupt the dining hall and student centre. “The University has thus reinforced security across all campuses and has put the police on standby to ensure that all university operations‚ and particularly examinations‚ are not disrupted‚” she said. “The group seems to be unhappy about the categories of staff recommended to be insourced‚ with the workers of retail establishments‚ particularly those in the Matrix now demanding that they should be insourced‚ ” she said. A task team is due to meet about the issue on Wednesday but only the university council can finalise insourcing arrangements. Patel said attempts by the group of workers to compromise the university’s examinations and dining hall activities were unacceptable.“We will not tolerate any intimidation‚ disruption or violence. These are direct violations of the interdict that the university obtained to protect the rights of students and staff to learn and work in a conducive environment. Any person found to be violating the court order will face the full might of the law and will be barred from our campuses‚” she said.Patel said that examinations would not be cancelled or postponed under any circumstances...

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