The North West University management is arrogant and not willing to listen to the concerns of students.
These were some of the harsh words by the students of the closed Mahikeng campus to vice-chancellor Professor Dan Kgwadi. The students and university management met on Sunday ahead of the reopening of the campus next week.
Tshepo Mohlomi, provincial coordinator of the South African Students Congress, warned that the management had to meet their demands.
"The closure of the campus had serious ramifications to black students. We are prepared to make sure there is stability in campus, but only if management is willing to meet our demands."
The campus closed after an administration building and a science laboratory were burnt to ashes by students protesting over the inauguration of the new Student Representative Council.
Mohlomi said: "The war is not over and we understand that we are working with the management that sometimes does not listen to the concerns of the students.
"We are going to engage until we reach an agreement. It's not that it's all rosy and that the road has got carpets, we are still going to speak about our challenges."
But Kgwadi hit back, saying the problem with the Mahikeng campus was that there was no leadership and lacks student culture.
Kgwadi said the university held structural meetings with the Mahikeng campus more than with their two sister campuses - in Potchefstroom and Vaal.
"The problem with Mahikeng campus is that there is no continuity of leadership.
"There are no events taking place, there is no student culture, all they think of is a bash (parties), that's it," he said.
Kgwadi said it was difficult to even know what resources were needed by the students because there is no student life. He said there was a big challenge when Mahikeng and other campuses were compared.
Kgwadi said the university wanted to assist and also give students the capacity and mentoring to participate in students activities.
"It therefore takes the change of a mindset at leadership level so that we know what the issues are that we need to focus on. The bash at Mahikeng campus takes the money away instead of bring it in.
"That is where we have to look at and say how come other universities raise millions of rands but not this campus," he said
tshehleb@sowetan.co.za
War is not over, warns NWU student body
The North West University management is arrogant and not willing to listen to the concerns of students.
These were some of the harsh words by the students of the closed Mahikeng campus to vice-chancellor Professor Dan Kgwadi. The students and university management met on Sunday ahead of the reopening of the campus next week.
Tshepo Mohlomi, provincial coordinator of the South African Students Congress, warned that the management had to meet their demands.
"The closure of the campus had serious ramifications to black students. We are prepared to make sure there is stability in campus, but only if management is willing to meet our demands."
The campus closed after an administration building and a science laboratory were burnt to ashes by students protesting over the inauguration of the new Student Representative Council.
Mohlomi said: "The war is not over and we understand that we are working with the management that sometimes does not listen to the concerns of the students.
"We are going to engage until we reach an agreement. It's not that it's all rosy and that the road has got carpets, we are still going to speak about our challenges."
But Kgwadi hit back, saying the problem with the Mahikeng campus was that there was no leadership and lacks student culture.
Kgwadi said the university held structural meetings with the Mahikeng campus more than with their two sister campuses - in Potchefstroom and Vaal.
"The problem with Mahikeng campus is that there is no continuity of leadership.
"There are no events taking place, there is no student culture, all they think of is a bash (parties), that's it," he said.
Kgwadi said it was difficult to even know what resources were needed by the students because there is no student life. He said there was a big challenge when Mahikeng and other campuses were compared.
Kgwadi said the university wanted to assist and also give students the capacity and mentoring to participate in students activities.
"It therefore takes the change of a mindset at leadership level so that we know what the issues are that we need to focus on. The bash at Mahikeng campus takes the money away instead of bring it in.
"That is where we have to look at and say how come other universities raise millions of rands but not this campus," he said
tshehleb@sowetan.co.za
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