Univen student strike cripples businesses
The recent University of Venda (Univen) students strike has delayed the progress of business in many shops in Thohoyandou Venda Plaza after angry students took to the streets last Tuesday
LIMPOPO –Â The recent University of Venda (Univen) students strike has delayed the progress of business in many shops in Thohoyandou Venda Plaza after angry students took to the streets last Tuesday demanding their book and food allowances be loaded onto their National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) cards.
According to the Chairperson of Thulamela Business Forum, Mbulungeni Ntsieni, some of the shops in Thohoyandou Venda Plaza were forced to close due to the strike. “We were left with no choice but to close because we were afraid the angry students would loot our shops,” said Ntsieni.
He added the closure of the shops delayed the progress of businesses with the strike affecting them negatively as their customers had to make use of other shopping complexes.
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The Univen Student Representative Council (SRC) President, Gcina Mhlabane, said the situation is that the university is “under the administration of the students’ leadership”.
The main reason for the strike, or the #225 movement, was because students demanded the book and food allowance be paid for the new year.
“We won’t rest until the last person receives their allowances. Aside from that, we are also unhappy about the unfinished student residences within the university and we want them to be completed as soon as possible so the university can accommodate students who are staying off campus,” said Mhlabane. He added the student leadership engaged with the NSFAS head office with their grievances, and the students were told the allowances would be paid but after it still had not happened a week later, the students decided to strike until everyone received their allowances.
On Tuesday 13 March the University of Venda made the announcement via social media that its academic programme has been suspended from Monday 12 to Friday 16 March 2018 as an early recess.
“Lectures will resume on Monday 19 March 2018 and the time lost will be compensated by cancelling the April recess (3 to 6 April 2018).”
University Management has decided to suspend the academic programme until further notice and instruct students to vacate the Campus by 16h00 on Monday 12 March 2018
— University of Venda (@Univenofficial) March 12, 2018
