What began as a peaceful protest turned into a riot, after protesters at Gert Sibande TVET College allegedly set rubbish alight and in turn were shot with rubber bullets and chased by police officers on 23 March.
According to information, a municipal refuse removal truck drove past protesters, who grabbed rubbish bags, threw it in the road and set it alight.
Several of the protesters were arrested by Ermelo Police officers, ACSU’s reaction teams and security of Mofoko Security Patrols.
According to Const Noncebo Msezane, spokesman of the Ermelo Police, 67 students were arrested and later released on a warning.
Students were upset about what they deem are empty promises by the Gert Sibande TVET College.
“The Student Representative Council and the South African Students Congress (Sasco) called for a shutdown of all higher institutions,” Mr Nkosinathi Mtiri Mabasa, Regional Task Team coordinator of Sasco Gert Sibande region, said.
“The aim is to send a signal to management and to minister Blade Nzimande, minister of higher education, science and technology, that they must deliver what is due to students.”
According to Mr Nkosinathi Mbasa, chairperson of student leadership of Ermelo Gert Sibande Campus and regional coordinator of Sasco, the closing date for applications forms of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) was on 26 February.
“Our college has still not submitted the necessary data to NSFAS,” he said.
Mr Mbasa also stated that landlords are evicting students from their properties as they to not have the funds to pay their rent.
He claimed that students are dropping out of college each day that passes, because the college is failing to fulfil their duties on time.
“Students are selling their personal belongings to put a plate of food on the table, how are we expected to concentrate in lectures on an empty stomach,” Mr Mbasa said.
Students and members of Sasco handed over a memorandum with a list of demands to Mr Tebogo Simon Mashika, acting campus manager of Gert Sibande TVET College Ermelo on 15 March.
Read the complete article in the next Highvelder Newspaper.
