TUT shut - students instructed to vacate Soshanguve campuses

23 November 2015 - 17:49 By Karabo Ngoepe
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Students at the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) have been given until the end of business on Monday to vacate both campuses in Soshanguve as the institution suspends activities for the rest of the year.

The university released a statement on Monday stating that exams at these campuses were postponed indefinitely.

No exams for TUT Sosh this year Nobuhle Thabile Phunyukabamphethe Shabangu

Posted by Maswele Ntsepeng Ralebona II on Monday, 23 November 2015

"The university has further decided to suspend academic activities for students with immediate effect at both the Soshanguve South and North campuses for the rest of the year, due to the continued volatility," the university said in a statement.

"Students have been requested to vacate these two campuses for their own safety by no later than 17:00 today, November 23, 2015. TUT cannot accept any liability for the safety of any student who fails to adhere to the request to vacate these two campuses."

Staff at the Soshanguve campuses were expected to report for duty on Wednesday.

Three halls were set alight at the Soshanguve campuses during protests over the weekend, which resulted in exams being postponed on Monday. Student leaders said they would challenge the move to remove students from the residences.

Deputy president for the Student Representative Council in Soshanguve, Sthembiso Ka Shandu, said they were trying to find alternative accommodation for the students outside the campuses but indicated they would contest the move.

"We are challenging management because the communiqué is not an order but more of a request.

"If it is an order, then they will have to produce a court order before they evict the students. We are also writing a letter to the campus security and asking them not to forcefully remove students from [residences]," he said.

Ka Shandu added that the notice given was far too short and the majority of the students did not have money to travel back to their respective homes.

"Some of the students come [from] as far as Limpopo and they don't have money to go back there. We are trying to make arrangements for them," he said. 

Source: News24

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