There appeared to be little common ground between disaffected students and management at the Vaal University of Technology‚ a day after residences on Vanderbijlpark campus were ordered shut.
Suspended SRC president Troy Mathebula on Friday morning told Radio 702 that he did not know who was responsible for the burning of buildings‚ and said only management could answer this.
The university’s acting vice-chancellor Dr Segopane Seroka‚ however‚ told the station that he had evidence of student involvement in the torching of buildings.
“We have…video footage of student caring stones and bricks‚” he said.
Offices and a staff house on Wednesday night were set alight following a physical altercation with the contracted security company.
A spate of computer thefts seems to have been the initial reason for the protests‚ and students‚ in a memorandum handed to the university by earlier this week‚ said they were unhappy with the quality of the security company services on campus.
Seroka acknowledged that there had been issues with the security company – which will be replaced as its contract has expired — but told 702 that the suspects in the computer thefts were students themselves.
He rubbished Mathebula’s claims that management had not engaged with students as he had personally taken receipt of their memorandum.
Seroka made his comments after Mathebula had earlier said he had hoped to engage management on Friday as “we want to find an amicable solution” and noted that almost 50 students were forced to shelter overnight in a hall after students were ordered to vacate residences by 2pm on Thursday.
Police spokesperson Captain Fikile Funda‚ who was at the scene of the protests on Thursday‚ said: “It’s chaos. The students have been given an ultimatum to get [off campus].”
Public order police officers fired light grenades to disperse the crowd‚ he said. – TMG Digital
Funda said students had their sights set on burning the campus’ main building.
“They [are] making noise‚ screaming‚ singing‚ mobilising each other and attacking security officers‚” he said.
VUT management has ‘evidence’ that students involved in torching buildings
There appeared to be little common ground between disaffected students and management at the Vaal University of Technology‚ a day after residences on Vanderbijlpark campus were ordered shut.
Suspended SRC president Troy Mathebula on Friday morning told Radio 702 that he did not know who was responsible for the burning of buildings‚ and said only management could answer this.
The university’s acting vice-chancellor Dr Segopane Seroka‚ however‚ told the station that he had evidence of student involvement in the torching of buildings.
“We have…video footage of student caring stones and bricks‚” he said.
Offices and a staff house on Wednesday night were set alight following a physical altercation with the contracted security company.
A spate of computer thefts seems to have been the initial reason for the protests‚ and students‚ in a memorandum handed to the university by earlier this week‚ said they were unhappy with the quality of the security company services on campus.
Seroka acknowledged that there had been issues with the security company – which will be replaced as its contract has expired — but told 702 that the suspects in the computer thefts were students themselves.
He rubbished Mathebula’s claims that management had not engaged with students as he had personally taken receipt of their memorandum.
Seroka made his comments after Mathebula had earlier said he had hoped to engage management on Friday as “we want to find an amicable solution” and noted that almost 50 students were forced to shelter overnight in a hall after students were ordered to vacate residences by 2pm on Thursday.
Police spokesperson Captain Fikile Funda‚ who was at the scene of the protests on Thursday‚ said: “It’s chaos. The students have been given an ultimatum to get [off campus].”
Public order police officers fired light grenades to disperse the crowd‚ he said. – TMG Digital
Funda said students had their sights set on burning the campus’ main building.
“They [are] making noise‚ screaming‚ singing‚ mobilising each other and attacking security officers‚” he said.
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