WATCH: UKZN protesting students allegedly set security vehicle alight

A security vehicle was reportedly set alight at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) Westville campus in Durban during student protests on Monday.

IOL reported on Monday that university students in the province threatened to stage an indefinite strike starting on Monday until their demands for free education, safer student residences, and increased food and book allowances were met.

It was further reported that student leaders at various institutions of higher learning in the province confirmed that they would take part in the protest action.

These institutions include UKZN, University of Zululand (UniZulu), Durban University of Technology (DUT), and Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT).

In a statement issued by UKZN acting Executive Director of Corporate Relations Division Normah Zondo on Monday, the university announced the suspension of its academic programme.

Zondo said the university’s academic programme had been suspended with immediate effect and until further notice, on all university campuses.

Zondo said: “The protest is in response to a provincial call to shut down universities. University management has received a memorandum from the UKZN SRC.

“The suspension will allow university management space to engage with student leadership and address their grievances whilst ensuring the safety and security of all concerned.

“University Risk Management Services are monitoring all campuses to ensure the safety of students and staff.”

It was reported that the vehicle allegedly set alight by the protesting students belongs to risk management services.

An RMS vehicle has been set alight by protesting students at UKZN Westville campus. Video supplied. #KZNstudentstrike @TheMercurySA pic.twitter.com/9HTq2oxKi5

— Kailene Pillay (@kailenepillay) February 4, 2019

ANA reported that the protesting students allegedly threatened non-protesting students and stoned police.

Protests are also taking place at DUT and MUT in Umlazi.

At UKZN’s Edgewood College campus in Pinetown, students could be seen dragging bins into roads and overturning them in a bid to stop traffic in the early hours of the morning.

A vehicle had also allegedly been set alight at UKZN’s Howard College campus, although this could not be independently confirmed at the time of publication.

Non-protesting students at UKZN’s Westville campus told ANA they had been threatened by protesting students.

A heavy police presence was at the campus and teargas was deployed as protesters threw rocks and stones at police.

In a statement issued on Sunday regarding an SRC mass meeting at MUT on Monday, the institution said it had “noted with concern” messages of incitement being shared by students across various social media platforms.

MUT’s senior director for marketing and communications, Mbali Mkhize, said in the statement that the SRC had requested a meeting with management to provide feedback on NSFAS allocation “and other registration related matters”.

“These messages are contrary to the discussions between MUT executive management and the SRC leadership and do not seem to have been posted by the SRC.

“There seem to be individuals who are determined to dissuade the SRC from leading the student body and are even unwilling to accept gains made by the SRC in trying to work with executive management to make the registration process seamless and timely,” said Mkhize.

Police had not responded to questions at the time of publication.

Meanwhile, the constituency head of the Democratic Alliance Student Organisation (Daso), MP Sandy Kaylan, blasted calls to shut down institutions of higher learning in the province.

In a statement on Monday, Kaylan said: “The call by Sasco, ANCYL, and EFF to shut down all institutions of higher learning in KZN today [Monday] is indeed most unfortunate. It speaks to the uncaring and misguided leadership of the SRC members of these organisations in that they failed to exercise their oversight duty effectively last year after securing the majority of the votes to sit on SRCs.”

Kaylan said that instead of addressing the ongoing concerns by students during the previous academic year, “they chose to sit on their hands and now plan to disrupt this current academic year rather than engaging with the management of higher education in a constructive manner”.

“The issues of poor housing, delayed responses to NSFAS applications, payment of outstanding fees, and lack of assistance to postgraduate students are not new issues. These have been ongoing and last year much of the academic year was lost due to protest and strikes. Poor management is directly responsible for the dire situation that many students find themselves in today,” Kaylan said.

Kaylan added that Daso called on the management of UKZN, MUT, DUT and Unisa to urgently address the students’ concerns and put in place mechanisms to ensure that these institutions functioned at an optimum level to deliver quality education to students, many of whom, had travelled a great distance at great cost.

“Daso also urges all students who have not registered to vote, to take advantage of the last IEC registration from 9-10 February 2019 at their respective campuses and to register to vote. Your vote can bring change.”

(Compiled by Makhosandile Zulu. Additional reporting, ANA)

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