Issues raised by protesting TUT students finally addressed

The Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) said it would attend to the various issues that prompted student protests in February and threatened a shutdown earlier in the year, reports Pretoria East Rekord.

“Over the past three days, management deliberated on various memoranda on the issues that gave rise to the escalating student protest at various campuses,” said TUT deputy vice-chancellor teaching, learning and technology professor Stanley Mukhola.

Mukhola said the continuous student protests had resulted in the suspension of academic activities at all TUT campuses since 26 February.

He said TUT management met with the top 19 student representative councils from all its campuses to engage on various concerns raised by students.

“The university has resolved to attend to all issues raised by students.”

TUT in a statement said that the agreement with Higher Education, Science and Technology Minister Blade Nzimande was that “all students”, whether they owed the university any money or not, “must be given their academic records, either for the purpose of pursuing employment opportunities or further study”.

TUT said that since 2016 “all students, whether they owe the university or not, are invited to come and graduate for their respective qualifications”.

It said such students were issued a letter confirming that they complied with all the academic requirements for the issuing of their respective qualifications.

“The agreement with the minister is only limited to making academic records available either for pursuing employment and further studies and does not cover any other purpose.”

TUT also said it had recognised that TUT residences were in need of urgent and extensive repairs.

“Although several maintenance projects have been identified and are in progress, student leaders have raised additional matters to be attended to.

“It was therefore agreed that thorough inspections, in which all stakeholders will be involved, [are] conducted at all residences.”

TUT said after the scope of the maintenance work to be done was determined, further decisions would be taken on the “quickest and most effective manner” to do this work.

It said funds would be made available to appoint additional teams to expedite work on residences, if necessary.

“Decisions on how to undertake and which measures to fast-track these maintenance repairs and projects will be taken in conjunction with all relevant parties, especially the campus SRCs and residence committees and residents.”

It said the initial evaluation would have been undertaken and a basic implementation plan drafted for further discussion at a follow-up meeting on 13 March 2020.

The university also engaged the SAPS to assist in addressing internal and external safety and security issues raised.

“The matter of insufficient lights on campus, as well as damage to the perimeter fence, have been escalated to technical services.”

TUT said its new policy for more effective management of student cards would also kick in soon.

“All old student cards will be destroyed and new cards will be issued to students. We will implement turnstile entrances for students and a motivation will be submitted for funding.”

Other issues addressed were around transport during peak hours, NSFAS release of allowances, the cafeteria, health and wellness, historic debt and academic exclusion.

Recently, students at various campuses protested due to the above concerns.

Previously, the South African Union of Students (Saus) secretary-general Mpho Maake Mojapelo said TUT avoided a shutdown after a students’ union meeting in January.

The shutdown was avoided after the Saus received a seven-page response to its 15 demands to the minister of higher education.

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