Marchers hand over memorandum of grievances at UFS

Over 1 000 trade unionists, political parties and general public members marched to the Bloemfontein campus of the University of the Free State (UFS) to hand over a memorandum of grievances.

They are complaining about the lack of transformation at the university. This comes after the production of a racial mock video at the Reitz residence in the campus. The memorandum was handed over to a representative from the Office of the Minister of Education.

The march was led by Congress of South African trade union (Cosatu), South African Communist Party (SACP) and the ANC.

When the march started there were about 150 people who took part. The march gained momentum as it went through the CBD of Bloemfontein. When they came to the university, there were almost 1 500 people. Also present at the march was the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP).

Among the grievances, they demand that Vice Chancellor Frederick Fourie and Dean of Students Affairs Natie Luyt be dismissed with immediate effect. They also demand that the Reitz residence be closed.

"They must start to take this matter very seriously. Issues of racism can't be accepted in any part of society. Our message to the management… is that the (university) council must be disbanded," says Sasco's Deputy Secretary-General, Biko Mathe.

Minister called upon to intervene
The National Department of Education, say the Minister must intervene.

"We are committed to ensure that the issues raised in the memorandum will be addressed. The Minister is committed to ensure that the institution takes all the issues that have been raised in relation to the recent incident, to be addressed as speedily as possible," says Chief of Staff at the National Education Minister's Office, Thulani Mavuso.

After handing over the memorandum, the marchers dispersed peacefully. The Education Department has a maximum of seven days to respond to the memorandum. Failure by the department will result in party's involved embarking on a continuous protest mass action.