Mhlaba Memela

Mhlaba Memela

Rival student bodies at the University of Zululand are headed for yet another clash with the management of the university.

This comes in the wake of disciplinary hearings being instituted against the students by the management of the institution.

Yesterday the student bodies - the ANC-aligned South African Students' Council (Sasco) and the IFP-aligned South African Democratic Students' Movement (Sadesmo) - said the management's action was unfair.

Sasco faces charges of leading an illegal strike, which resulted in the university's closure recently.

It is also accused of bringing the university into disrepute by alleging in the media that unregistered degrees were being offered by the university.

Sadesmo faces charges of fomenting violence at the university, vandalising university property, attacking the rector, Rachel Gumbi, and destroying her car.

Xolani Zuma, the newly elected SRC president and Sasco head, said he rejected the charges against Sasco's leaders.

"When we ordered the management to investigate issues of unaccredited degrees we followed the policy of the university.

"We wrote letters notifying them about the students' strike," he said.

Sadesmo president Chris Ntuli said his organisation rejected the university's attempt to prosecute it.

"We were politically harassed by the university. We were charged and taken to a criminal court and we won the case.

"The university is undermining justice by reinstating the charges against us," he said.