Unizulu student strike continues
Police still deployed at Unizulu following a violent outburst at KwaDlangezwa campus yesterday.
FOLLOWING violent protest at the KwaDlangezwa campus earlier this week, the University of Zululand (Unizulu) has confirmed an urgent caucus meeting to address a student memorandum.
Director of Communications and Marketing, Normah Zondo, said management and students are set to meet to resolve certain issues.
‘We are taking their concerns seriously and doing all in our power to address them to restore stability to the core business of teaching and learning,’ said Zondo.
On Monday students handed over a list of complaints which included student funding problems, understaffed dining and lecture halls, lack of maintenance in residences, safety and security off campus, overcrowded lecture halls, poor service at various centres, a management vacuum and lack of student leadership.
‘We want answers from management. Only four dining hall are working and we have to wait for almost two hours in queues. There is also the matter of NFSAS (student loan scheme), street lights, FUNDZA and ambulance services,’ said student spokesperson Wandile ‘Mrepha’ Mathebula.
‘We also heard rumours that the Education Faculty was being shut down.’
On Tuesday students took the matter to the streets. When the chaos started, students were reportedly removed from the lecture halls by force.
Police were on high alert as the angry mob went on the rampage and allegedly threw stones and vandalised property.
On Wednesday Mathebula told the Zululand Observer that about 30 students were arrested during the riot, however the institution denied the allegations.
‘We are heading to eSikhaleni now to check on our brothers who were arrested for voicing their concerns,’ he said.
Enraged students said the strike would continue until the complains are attended to.
‘We are tired of the waiting game. If they don’t attend to us we will continue with the strike. However, we do not encourage protesters to damage university property,’ said South African Democratic Movement (Sadesmo) Chairperson Sbonakaliso Jobe.
According to Empangeni SAPS spokesperson Capt Mbongeni Mdlalose, police were still deployed at the institution by Wednesday afternoon.
