Joburg Central College students are protesting the moving of courses.
Gates to the Alex campus of the Joburg Central College were closed as smoke billowed from burning tyres placed outside the gates by protesting students.
Also, Vincent Tshabalala Road was closed to traffic by Metro, and South African Police Service officers were in place to ensure no damage to property or limb.
Smoke hides protesting Central Johannesburg College students.
A member of the Student Representative Council (SRC), Clive Mogale said the incident was incited by the college informing students for the 2017 academic year that the mechanical engineering and business courses have been transferred to the Ellis Park Campus. This at the discretion of the college’s management, allegedly without consultation with the SCR and other stakeholders.
He said their concern was articulated in a memorandum presented early last week to college management and the Department of Education, which promised to respond on 13 January but failed to do so. “They aren’t taking us seriously and this has further delayed the registration for this academic year which was supposed to commence on 9 January,” he said.
Vincent Shabalala Road has been closed due to Central Johannesburg College student protests.
Mogale added that the students were against the transfer as they couldn’t afford the transport and rental costs in the Ellis Park area, which he said were about R1 800 compared to R700 in Alex. Also, he stressed that the students were in an undesirable situation with most of them behind in paying their rent due to the delayed disbursement of their grants from government. “Many, in particular technical, vocational education and training college students, are held hostage by landlords due to this delay deriving from the department seemingly not taking us seriously like other tertiary institutions,” he alleged.
Vincent Shabalala Road has been closed due to Central Johannesburg College student protests.
Mogale also stated that the protest would continue until the decision was reversed and he urged the department and Minister of Higher Education, Blade Nzimande to pay serious attention to their plight. As the protest continued, college management could not be reached.
Mogale added that the protest also received sympathy from Alex residents, trade unions and some political parties who urged that college property being rented out in the area be repossessed to accommodate the students if the transfer of their courses was prompted by a lack of facilities. He also complained about the use of money from the rentals, saying the SRC wasn’t informed about its use. “The college needs to improve its communication with stakeholders on major decisions to avoid ongoing protests,” he urged.
