EFF visits Wits to discuss the future of suspended students

EFF accuses Wits of dishonesty

August 25, 2015

Glacier Nkwashu 1 minute read

EFF members at the Roodepoort Primary school where they were allegedly invited to help push the Department of Education to act fast. Photo by Roodepoort Record.

The EFF national leadership visits Wits University on the 24 August to discuss the future of their suspended students.

The party accuses the university of “is a disingenuous and politically insensitive side-lining of a democratically elected and duly registered entity”.

The students were allegedly caught on camera inciting violence on the 18 August at the university premises.

The Wits Council said accountability and remorse are the only things the university is expecting from the seven suspended students.

“They also need to promise to abide by the electoral and the student codes of conduct, then make representation to the council before they can be allowed back to the students’ society,” said the University spokesperson Shirona Patel.

The students were suspended after they allegedly started violence which disrupted a debate by candidates during the Students Representative Council (SRC) elections.

According to Patel, 15 students were identified after the university reviewed video footage.

“Eight apologised after we interviewed them, but the other seven refused and also promised to continue with the violence. They left us with no choice but to suspend them until they show remorse,” said Patel.

Patel said disciplinary process will continue this week.

She confirmed that suspended students are not all EFF members, others are from the Progressive Youth Alliance and Project W.

Patel said the violence erupted after the seven students with previous charges demanded that the University should drop previous charges against them and also allow them to take part in the SRC’s elections debate.

Patel couldn’t divulge the nature of these previous charges.

The EFF students command national president Mpho Mokgolo confirmed the meeting between the national leadership and the university but couldn’t comment further [www.effighters.org.za/].

According to the statement released by EFF acting national spokesperson Fana Mokoena, the party requested the meeting with the Wits EXCO of the Wits Council to discuss the de-registration of the EFF branch in the institution.

Mokoena said, “We will engage the university to understand their version of events.”