UPDATE: WITS SRC releases statement
JOBURG - The vice-chancellor and principal of Wits, Professor Adam Habib has released a statement indicating that the University of Witwatersrand will remain closed on 26 October.
UPDATE: 27 October 2015, 10am – The Wits Student Representative Council (SRC) has undertaken the revolutionary burden of confronting the issue of the outsourcing of workers, financial exclusion of students and fee increments.
The SRC has noted the appalling conditions that mothers and fathers are subjected to. Â The University will resume with academic activities on 28 October.
President Jacob Zuma met with various student leaders from across the various institutions on 23 of October and the 0% fee increment was agreed.
Upon this agreement government has also committed to convert NSFAS into grants as opposed to loans, for poor students.
There will be no increase in Wits fees including that of tuition and residential. The agreement involves a number of points that can be viewed by clicking here.
Wits University is also calling on the university to engage in discussion with outside, private accommodation groups such as South Point (but not limited to) to best facilitate the accommodation of students during the academic extension.
On the issue of international students the University must engage home affairs to best facilitate issues that may arise because of the extension.
The Wits SRC noted that the 0% fee increment is a short term victory that  applied a short term strategy to achieve.
UPDATE: 26 October 2015, 3pm – Professor Habib has met with the students at Solomon Mahlangu house. Â A statement has been released by the University stating a programme for the university to be back on track.
The University’s Senior Executive Team devised a plan to address student protest and academic programmes.
Within the statement the Senior Executive Team commits to implementing measures in order to get the academic programme back on track. Â Wits has said that there will be no increase in fees for 2016.
This means that academic, residence and any other fees will not be increased. The Presidency has agreed to underwrite the cost of this, provided that the University makes some contribution.
The University recognises that the protests have affected the ability of students to write their examinations.
The statement also addresses the issue of  finding financial resources to support the children of all workers employed in currently outsourced services, provided that these children qualify for admission to the University.
The academic programme must resume on 27 October.  The university has said that it is imperative that the university does not the academic year and jeopardise the future potential careers of  students.
INITIAL REPORT: 26 October 2015, 11am – This after a country-wide student protest against the increase in tuition fees.
Habib has been waiting to obtain clarity from Wits’ student leaders as to how the students have decided to proceed.
The students concluded their mass meeting and despite the government, students and university leaders’ agreement of a 0 percent increase for next year, and to reorganise the academic and examination programme, students have decided to continue with their protest.
Professor Habib said, “We strongly encourage all protesting students to participate in a parallel negotiation process that covers all outstanding issues and to allow the academic programme and examinations to proceed unhampered.”
Watch a video posted on facebook of one of the Wits student leaders talking about the ongoing protests:
Click here to view:#Feeshavefallen in pictures
A special meeting of Senate, the highest academic decision-making body of the university, will be convened on 26 October to deliberate on the protest and to decide on the resumption of the academic programme. The outcome will be communicated to all students and staff thereafter.
The university has encouraged all students to continue to spend their time preparing for the examinations.
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WATCH: Protest action from the Union Buildings
