UPDATE: Protesting Wits students force Habib to walk
BRAAMFONTEIN – Angry protesting students do not want Professor Adam Habib to talk.
The third day of the protest by Wits students peaked upon the arrival of the University’s vice Chancellor Professor Adam Habib on 16 October.
Prof Habib was led by protesting students from the Empire gate at the university to Senate House where he was led to the centre of the room.
“Some of you have never seen him face to face, here he is now,” axed Wits SRC president Mcebo Dlamini said to the thousands of students gathered.
Many students shouted, “count us, are we only 200?”
Protesters asked the vice chancellor to repeat what he said on Power FM on 15 October, that “the protesters are only a minority of about 200 students, compared to 32 000 students.”
The vice chancellor was forced to call the chairman of the council to convene an urgent meeting requested by the students which he did
while the Wits students listened attentively.
The professor was also allowed to make another call to his wife to let her know that he was fine.
Wits SRC organised food and drinks for students who have been striking for three days.
The arrival of the chairman is awaited.
Earlier on, SRC president Nompendulo Mkhatshwa, spoke on behalf of the students telling the vice chancellor, that “the proposed 10.5 per cent increase of fees is unacceptable and the students rejected this in totality.”
The numbers of students joining the protesters kept increasing at the university’s campus a few kilometres away from Wits main campus.
Dlamini addressed the crowds who cheered him on as he said that Prof Habib must go.
“Voertsek, voertsek Habib! Hamba, hamba Habib!” shouted the protesters.
Domestic workers also addressed the vice chancellor and said they were paid only R2 000 per month so they supported the students because
their salaries remained the same despite fees going up annually.
Student leaders used strong language and insults and they were being cheered on by other protesting students.
