Wits SRC and management agree to mediation

The Wits University Students’ Representative Council (SRC) and management have agreed to a mediation process and in the meantime allow academic programmes to continue as scheduled.

The agreement follows weeks of violent protest at the university. 

Students are calling for an end to the exclusion of those with historic debt, for the cap on residence allowances from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme to be scrapped and for the lack of accommodation to be rectified. 

In a statement on Tuesday, the university said that after engagements with members of the SRC they will enter a mediation process, labelling it a constructive way forward.

“The office of the dean of student affairs will work with the SRC and management to arrange a convenient time and appropriate terms for such a process, as well as to engage a professional mediator in the coming days.

“As we enter the fourth week of term, the academic programme continues — please look out for directives from your respective deans, heads of school and course co-ordinators in this regard. All university activities continue as planned,” the university said in a statement. 

SRC member Karabo Matloga confirmed that they had agreed to a mediation process in an effort to find a way forward. 

“We are more than ready as the SRC for that process and this is what we have been saying to management since last week. We are waiting for them to give us the date and time,” Matloga told TimesLIVE. 

TimesLIVE

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