WATCH: Another varsity joins nationwide student protests
Students at the Port Elizabeth university have barricaded entrances to two of its five Bay campuses.
Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) students have joined the nationwide call by students from several universities to make higher education more affordable.
Earlier this morning NMMU send students a SMS advising them to stay home until further notice as two of the five Port Elizabeth campuses had been barricaded by students. It is unclear whether its campus in Sedgefield in the Western Cape has been affected.
In an e-mail sent to students and staff members, Professor Derrick Swartz, NMMU vice-chancellor confirmed efforts that an organised section of the student community plans to disrupt academic and other activities at the institution on October 21.
“We were verbally informed about these intentions on Tuesday, October 20, after a group of students purporting to represent student organisations, including DASO, SASCO, EFFSC indicated that they would be staging protests on campuses in support of various institutional demands and as part of a national drive to ‘shutdown’ universities.”
Swartz further stated that it should be noted that no attempt was made to follow university rules regarding protest action, including guarantees of the safety of others not partaking in the protest and the safety of university property.
He also indicated that none of the existing channels of negotiation and consultation had been fully utilised or exhausted.
“Under these circumstances, it may not be possible to conduct normal business on our campuses, and I am therefore advising students and staff to exercise due caution in moving between and on campuses where access is permissible. We will seek to meet with student leaders to listen to and deliberate over their grievances once stability is established.”
No student will be left behind. The team's out doing student pick ups off campus #NMMU #NationalShutDown pic.twitter.com/han6GPxNpC
— Awethu Fatyela (@Awethu_F) October 21, 2015
“While NMMU fully upholds and respects the right to peacefully protest and the freedom of expression as enshrined in our constitution, it also protects the equal rights of others not participating in protest against intimidation and from exercising their inalienable rights.”
Swartz said he wishes to extend his apologies to all students and staff who may feel their rights are infringed and that he will ask the different faculties to make adaptive arrangements in the light of possible disruptions in their academic programme.
WARNING: Explicit language
Yesterday evening an awards ceremony at the university was cancelled when students marched into the NMMU Sport Centre singing struggle songs in solidarity with students from other universities.
Hlomela Bucwa Student Representative Council president have told students via email that they have met with top management and that students must unite regardless of skin colour, class or background and have demanded that management cancel all academic activities today.
“As students of NMMU we will demonstrate our frustration to not only the institution but the government as well. We will stand in solidarity with students across the countries who have been victims of the present system.”
A peaceful #Protest turned violent #guns and #teargas #nmmu #NationalShutDown # feesmustfall pic.twitter.com/SSLtgxIQaV
— Taryn Isaacs De Vega (@taryndevega) October 21, 2015
She said they have further called on Swartz to come and listen to their grievances tomorrow 22 October.
“This is to engage with us in critical discussions that will provide an alternative to fee increases and the payment of fees as a whole. We call on SASCO, DASO, EFF, NMMU students and student movements to come together under one banner. To put aside their differences and join us as the vanguard of students in dismantling fees. This is not just my issue, this is your issue, this is our issue.”
Dr Sibongile Muthwa, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Institutional Support said the final decision on next year’s fees will be taken by the NMMU Council at its next sitting.
*What is your opinion regarding fee increases at universities? Do you think that it has become expensive to study?
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