Sefako Makgatho varsity students suspended after NSFAS protests

The president of the student representative council (SRC) at the Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU) has been suspended after days of protests disrupted the institution this week.

Thato Masekoa was suspended with other students for violating the university's policy and rules on protests. 

In the suspension letter, university registrar Dr Jeffery Mabelebele said management needs to be notified of any gatherings, demonstrations and picketing, which the SRC did not do. 

The second reason for the suspension was that the protesting students prevented employees, students and the public from gaining access to the premises. 

“The university reserves the right, in circumstances where it deems appropriate, to instruct any of its officials, including its security officials or other relevant officials, to accompany you out of the university campus and/or from any room allocated to you by the university,” Mabelebele said. 

The suspended students are prohibited from entering the campus unless it is to attend a disciplinary hearing. 

Masekoa told TimesLIVE that the suspension was unjust and unreasonable as they are fighting for a genuine cause. 

“This is a university administrative problem which should have been dealt with a long time ago. There is a need for a lot of self-introspection from their side. Students are hungry. They know this because they process our money. Wanting to suspend someone who stands for a just cause is unreasonable, inhumane and unjust,” he said. 

Students took to protests this week as 211 were still waiting for their allowances from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), four months later.

SMU spokesperson Dr Lusani Netshitomboni said the suspended students have 24 hours to respond to the notice of suspension.

“If management refuses the response, then a decision will be taken. The response will determine the way forward,’ said Netshitomboni.

Despite NSFAS not disbursing the funds in time, the university instead covered the shortfall by paying out the allowances to all affected students.

“The university carried to the region of R40m to be paid by NSFAS, which hasn’t come through. The vice-chancellor has been in constant conversation with NSFAS since January and it hasn’t been forthcoming. Most of the disbursement will apparently be done by the [end of the week] but from our side, we use our resources to address this,” he said.

Despite Masekoa being barred from the campus, he joined a small group of students who continued to protest peacefully outside the entrance on Thursday.

He said it was because the university and NSFAS were pointing fingers at each other, which led to frustration.

“They said they [SMU and NSFAS] are going to merge to pay up but never did. Yesterday, some got paid for one month but students on campus are saying they want for all the outstanding months including the book allowances,” he said.

TimesLIVE

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