TUT's Soshanguve campuses to reopen after student's death

08 October 2018 - 10:28 By Nonkululeko Njilo
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Tshwane University of Technology. File photo
Tshwane University of Technology. File photo
Image: Eric Malema

Academic activities are due to resume at the Tshwane University of Technology’s (TUT) Soshanguve north and south campuses on Monday after a six-week shutdown‚ following a protest over voting in the Student Representative Council elections during which a student was shot dead.

“Ongoing violent protest action and damage to property that posed a serious risk to the safety of students and staff at these campuses left the university no choice but to suspend activities at these campuses in order to restore normality‚” said the university's spokesperson Willa de Ruyter.

She said the university would implement several security contingency plans. Students may use only designated entrances into the campuses and are to be vetted before they can access campus. Only registered students will be allowed onto campus and they will have to show a valid South African identity document‚ student card and proof of registration for the 2018 academic year.

All staff and students must display their staff and student cards visibly at all times. Trespassers will be apprehended and charged for trespassing. De Ruyter said faculties would arrange catch-up programmes and tests with students‚ with exams likely to be written at a later stage.

“Year-end examinations for students at all TUT campuses‚ except the Soshanguve north and south campuses‚ will commence on November 12‚” said De Ruyter. “More detailed information about examinations for Soshanguve students will be communicated with them upon their return‚” she added. The institution was also offering counselling and study support services to students that might have been affected by the incidents at the campuses. The student who died during the unrest was named as final-year law student Katlego Monareng. The 26-year-old was shot dead when unrest erupted during the SRC elections.

After his shooting the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) said it was probing allegations that Monareng was killed by police officers. At the time police denied any involvement in Monareng’s death. 

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