CJC (Alex) students vow to continue protesting until their demands are met
ALEXANDRA – Central Johannesburg College students want their demands met.
The Department of Higher Education has confirmed receipt of a set of demands from students of the Central Johannesburg College who have not been in class for more than a month.
The departmental spokesperson Lunga Ngqengelele said they were currently working with the management of the institution to find solutions to the problems as outlined by the students in their memorandum of demands to the college.
Read: CJC staff abandon posts, leaving students out in the cold
Ngqengele did not give a time frame as to when the matter might be resolved but said he was confident a solution to the impasse would be found sooner rather than later.
The students have been protesting, burning tyres and other items on the streets of Alex, and more recently took their protest to the N3 highway in an attempt to get their voices heard.
Johannesburg Metro Police Department spokesperson Superintendent Wayne Minnaar said they were called to disperse a crowd of people who had blockaded the N3 and London Road on 19 June.
Read: UPDATE: Streets burn to CJC students protests
“At about 6am, the JMPD responded to a call to disperse a group of people who closed the N3 and London Road with burning tyres. The JMPD managed to disperse the crowd of protesters and the road was cleared,” Minnaar said.
The ongoing student strike, which started three weeks ago, has led to the burning of state infrastructure in and around Alexandra.
According to an Alex News source, students are calling for the removal of some of the executive management members, and a fully equipped library on their campus, among others.
Student demands:
- A permanent director for Alexandra campus
- Removal of executive management (Mr Mokoena, Mr Mafate and Mr April)
- Fully equipped library
- Upgrade of security services to ensure the safety of students
- Dismissal of lecturers who are on a go-slow
- NSFAS allowance for transport, accommodation and meals
- Free Wi-Fi which was long promised but not delivered
- Operational computer labs
- Student access cards to regulate who goes in and out of the campus
- Immediate release of N1 Industrial Electronics results which are pending
- Fully operating machines for fashion students
- Full payments of stipends for hairdressing students.
