Wits students vow to intensify protest if demands aren't met

Student leaders at the University of Witwatersrand have vowed to render the institution ungovernable.

This is unless provisions for accommodation and the registration for students with historic debt were not made.

The threat comes after a group of protesting students disrupted classes on Monday.  

“We are going render this institution ungovernable. I am told seven campuses had shutdown already, we understand that there is elitism that is attached to Wits University, once we make this place ungovernable the entire country is going to collapse,” said the SRC’s president, Sisanda Aluta.

 Aluta said the plight of student did not allow her to attend her first day of class.

“We are not hooligans, we want to attend classes. Today was my first day of my honours class, I did not go because the plight of the black child does not allow me to enjoy the benefits of freedom and education while everyone is academically excluded from this space…” she told TimesLive.  

 “We are saying students must register, they must be housed. Then we are going to seize fire and go class,” added Aluta.   

Secretary of the ANC youth league (ANCYL) and Final year LLB student, Sabelo Ngubeni said the ruling party had failed the students by not opening up buildings for student accommodation.  

“We are pleading with Jacob Mamabolo, we are pleading with David Makhura to say open those buildings because students are sleeping are sleeping in libraries and computer labs. They want us to assist with voter registration and campaigning but they are simply failing to open something as simple as a residence.  

Dean of student affairs, Jerome September, met with the students and said the protester’s demands would be attended to.  

“The vice chancellor, is committed to meeting up with the SRC to resolving the issues and drafting a joint statement on the way forward…” he said.

The university’s spokesperson, Shirona Patel, confirmed that about 100 students had embarked on a protest at the main campus.

"Representatives of the senior executive team are working with the students' representative council to resolve the outstanding matters related to accommodation and registration, particularly around the deployment of the Wits hardship fund," she said.

Patel said the institution respected the right to protest but that it was "unacceptable for the academic programme to be disrupted".

Following the protest, Patel said campus protection services were analysing video footage that had since emerged.

"All incidents will be investigated and action will be taken, including immediate suspensions where appropriate, in line with the university’s rules, policies and procedures," Patel said.