POLOKWANE – The convener of the EFF Student Command in Limpopo, Zwanga Dombo led a protest to the Capricorn TVET college central offices from the various campuses on Tuesday after a court interdict was issued on March 17 in favour of the college preventing students from protesting after they staged a three-week protest that affected academic programmes at the campuses.
The initial protest started on March 7, and by March 9 students were instructed to vacate the college premises and the campuses have been closed since.
Dombo says the EFFSC felt that it was an infringement on human rights to prevent students from protesting against unfair practices by the college and that if they wanted the protest to stop then they should have listened to students’ plights.
The college obtained an interdict to ensure protection against violent protests, the disruption of academic activities, damage to property and intimidation of staff and students. In an official statement issued on March 18, the college instructed all lecturers and students to return to campus by this week Tuesday, saying that it has reached an agreement with the Student Representative Council (SRC) members on the resumption of learning activities.
Students were only to be allowed access into the campuses with a valid student card, proof or registration and a signed declaration.
The declaration, which Polokwane Observer is in possession of, prevents students from taking part in any protests and strikes. Dombo, however, says that this is simply a ploy by the college to not account for the ills against students.
This, he says, includes the categorisation of Polokwane as a rural town, which significantly reduces students’ NSFAS allowances, the payment of accommodation allowances to landlords when students use the funds for allowances for rent and groceries, along with the lack of sufficient teaching staff in the campuses.
“The catagorisation of urban and rural areas is used by NSFAS to determine the money paid out to students for living expenses. If the college decides to dictate a certain urban area and make it rural then they are cheating students of their allowances. These students come from disadvantaged households which is why they applied for NSFAS in the first place but they are being disadvantaged by the system of the college. It is also worth mentioning that despite all these issues, none of the students have received their allowances yet but they are expected to be in class with nothing to eat and nowhere to sleep.”
The principal of the college, Lekau Mamabolo addressed the crowd outside the central offices and maintained that the issues being raised were the same issues raised previously and had been resolved in a meeting with the SRC last Wednesday and Thursday.
In the meantime, Dombo says until they receive constructive feedback from the CEO, the protest will remain ongoing and students will not return to class.
