Wits to adjust campus restrictions

The University of Witwatersrand has promised to make adjustments to the restrictions on campuses following a wide range of complaints from students.

"There have been multiple legitimate requests from students who need to access University facilities for study purposes after 10pm.

The University will publish a list of learning areas and computer laboratories later today which will remain open after 10pm‚" said Wits spokesperson Shirona Patel.

This comes as a group of students on Monday barricaded roads causing heavy traffic earlier this morning in Parktown. The group started two fires on public roads and at an intersection and a bus stop in the area.

They said this action was as a result of their frustration with the university. Earlier on Monday‚ a student leader said: "Basically students are frustrated by what Wits calls 'restrictions' but we understand it as 'curfew'.

They say the academic [programme] has resumed but how do you expect us to be in our rooms by 9pm and not leave?" According to Patel‚ several fires were started in dustbins across the Braamfontein campuses on Friday evening and were extinguished by Campus Control.

She said several buildings were stoned and windows were smashed at the Matrix Building. Nine arrests were made on Friday night following incidents of violence in Braamfontein.

Of the nine‚ two were Wits students‚ two were from other institutions and five were not students‚ the university confirmed.

These individuals appeared in the Hillbrow Magistrate's Court on Monday. #FeesMustFall student leader Mcebo Dlamini also appeared in the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court on Monday. According to his lawyer‚ Mongezi Ntanga‚ Dlamini is charged with public violence‚ possession of dangerous weapons‚ theft and assault. It had earlier been reported that he faced a charge of assaulting a police officer.

The matter was postponed until Tuesday to give prosecutor Steven Rubin time to verify Dlamini's details‚ including his home residence and date of birth.

- TMG Digital