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Police arrest demonstrators on Vaal campus

BAD BEHAVIOUR: Protesting students from the Vaal University of Technology are pushed into police vans after they went on the rampage on campus. © Unknown.
BAD BEHAVIOUR: Protesting students from the Vaal University of Technology are pushed into police vans after they went on the rampage on campus. © Unknown.

Ntwaagae Seleka

Ntwaagae Seleka

Police yesterday swooped on the Vaal University of Technology, in Vanderbijlpark, Gauteng, and arrested scores of students after two days of violent demonstrations on the campus.

The police moved in after some of the students went on the rampage on Wednesday.

The protesters were demanding that the university register students who had not paid their fees.

The registration of senior students began on February 5. Since then, classes have been disrupted by demonstrators three times.

The university's spokesman, Babini Maneli, said the university had tried to help students who were in debt and those who could not register because of poor academic performance.

"Meetings between the SRC and the university's management were held throughout last month to find [a way] of accommodating those who could not be registered," Maneli said.

He said the institution had allocated about R8million to finance students in arrears with their fees.

The SRC was also involved in the process and had set aside about R11million.

But the university opposed the allocation of R72 000 to only four members of the SRC.

"We demand that they review the allocation [and make it] more equitable," said Maneli.

He said registration was closed and students would not now be admitted.

"Those arrested were not supposed to be on the premises because they did not have valid student cards. Others were arrested for public violence," said Maneli.

The police were still looking for students alleged to have been involved in the vandalism at the university yesterday afternoon, he said.

The university has not yet determined the extent of the damage to the campus caused by the rioting or the cost of repairing it.

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