Protests by students at the Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University at GaRankuwa in Gauteng over the alleged non-payment of allowances by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme have reportedly intensified.
This is in spite of the suspension of three Student Representative Council members and one other student.
The protests started on Thursday. University management brought private security on campus to deal with the protest of over 200 students affected by the alleged non-payment.
National spokesperson for the South African Union of Students Asive Dlanjwa says the organisation is concerned about what is happening at the institution.
“The appears to be an intent to charge the students and if possible, even to expel the students. Ultimately, this is the impression that we get from the student leaders based on the attitude of the institution towards them since the protest. We’re really concerned about the ability and the commitment of the university to resolve this amicably, through negotiations, because we believe that it should not even have gotten there because the issues the students are raising are substantive issues that we can all agree about. The students have countless times been engaging the university and NSFAS to no avail.”
Students say they have not received allowances since January:
