VIDEO: Security beefed up at Westcol
Student: I'm a student here and I'm not allowed to go inside my own campus.
Westcol Randfontein students are in their fourth day of their bursary battle with the college.
Students now say they are being intimidated as the campus has more than tripled security presence.
When the Herald arrived on scene on Tuesday approximately 10 students sat on the side of the road opposite the main gate. Just outside the boom gate of the college, three security guards sat with five additional guards on the other side of the boom gate and fence.
“We’re not allowed to go into the campus. I’m a student here and I’m not allowed to go inside my own campus,” said Antionette Shikoane, the Student Representative Council (SRC) secretary.
Earlier they had rubber bullets and guns. It’s like they’re trying to intimidate us,” she said.
When the Herald asked how many security guards are usually present on campus Shikoane said three but added that today she saw more than 20 around the entire campus.
Shikoane said they had a meeting with Westcol but explained the meeting did not go well.
We went with solutions to the problem of transport but they did not want to listen. We have another meeting at corporate on Thursday but I can’t see it going well.”
A number of residents in Kiewiet Street where the college is located have complained about students setting tyres and rubbish alight in front of their homes.
Although Westcol has been fighting the bursary battle since the beginning of the year, their protest is also in solidarity and as a result of the national #FeesMustFall protests.
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Also read:
VIDEO: Student protest boils over in R’fontein
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