Despite the violent clashes between students and police on Monday‚ the management of the University of the Witwatersrand has vowed to keep the university open so that the academic year can be completed.
“At this stage‚ we are planning on completing the academic year and we have put in place contingency plans to ensure that the academic programme still runs and that there are contingency plans for examinations‚” said Wits spokesperson Shirona Patel.
She was speaking outside the Great Hall on Tuesday‚ where students have gathered again to intensify their protest action.
Asked why Wits vice chancellor Adam Habib has not agreed to meet with students‚ she denied this‚ saying there have been several attempts to do so‚ but students have rejected the offer.
“I don’t think that is absolutely true‚ there were at least four attempts that I know of to engage with students. We had meetings last weekend and this past weekend with some official representatives of students’ structures. Secondly‚ we sent a formal letter to the SRC (Student Representative Council) and they acknowledged receipt but have not responded to that.
“Thirdly‚ we offered to have an Imbizo (a gathering) with an independent facilitator and we are [still] open to that. Yesterday‚ I saw the Dean of Students (Dr Puleng Lenka-Bula) offering the students to put forward twenty names of representatives to come and engage with management‚ they declined‚” said Patel.
She said this was not the last attempt to meet students‚ saying that management would work with mediators to try to achieve a negotiated settlement.
On Friday‚ Wits management was supposed to hold a General Assembly but called it off‚ saying it could not reach consensus with protesting students who refuse to compromise until the government guarantees free education.
A congregation of the General Assembly is called when the University community has reached consensus on a particular issue. In this case‚ there has been no consensus from all constituencies and no agreement from the protesting students that this year’s academic programme should continue.
Police fired two stun grenades at a group of students who had gathered on Tuesday in an attempt to disperse the crowd. However‚ no injuries were witnessed by TMG Digital or have been reported to medical services.
A police water canon has been brought in‚ in addition to police nyala armoured vehicles‚ in an effort to disperse the crowd.
Wits vows to keep campus open‚ despite violence intensifying
Despite the violent clashes between students and police on Monday‚ the management of the University of the Witwatersrand has vowed to keep the university open so that the academic year can be completed.
“At this stage‚ we are planning on completing the academic year and we have put in place contingency plans to ensure that the academic programme still runs and that there are contingency plans for examinations‚” said Wits spokesperson Shirona Patel.
She was speaking outside the Great Hall on Tuesday‚ where students have gathered again to intensify their protest action.
Asked why Wits vice chancellor Adam Habib has not agreed to meet with students‚ she denied this‚ saying there have been several attempts to do so‚ but students have rejected the offer.
“I don’t think that is absolutely true‚ there were at least four attempts that I know of to engage with students. We had meetings last weekend and this past weekend with some official representatives of students’ structures. Secondly‚ we sent a formal letter to the SRC (Student Representative Council) and they acknowledged receipt but have not responded to that.
“Thirdly‚ we offered to have an Imbizo (a gathering) with an independent facilitator and we are [still] open to that. Yesterday‚ I saw the Dean of Students (Dr Puleng Lenka-Bula) offering the students to put forward twenty names of representatives to come and engage with management‚ they declined‚” said Patel.
She said this was not the last attempt to meet students‚ saying that management would work with mediators to try to achieve a negotiated settlement.
On Friday‚ Wits management was supposed to hold a General Assembly but called it off‚ saying it could not reach consensus with protesting students who refuse to compromise until the government guarantees free education.
A congregation of the General Assembly is called when the University community has reached consensus on a particular issue. In this case‚ there has been no consensus from all constituencies and no agreement from the protesting students that this year’s academic programme should continue.
Police fired two stun grenades at a group of students who had gathered on Tuesday in an attempt to disperse the crowd. However‚ no injuries were witnessed by TMG Digital or have been reported to medical services.
A police water canon has been brought in‚ in addition to police nyala armoured vehicles‚ in an effort to disperse the crowd.
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