The North West University (NWU) management has closed the institution’s Mahikeng campus following reports of intimidation and allegations of attempted arson.
All students have been instructed to vacate the campus by three o clock (15:00) Tuesday afternoon.
A group of students have prevented people from entering the campus since Monday morning.
This follows a call for a seven-day national shutdown of all public universities by the South African University Student Union (SAUS).
Professor Dan Kgwadi of the university says the closure is necessary as they can’t guarantee student’s safety.
He says: ” If students are there and there is no programme taking place there is no need to hang around. Especially first year students who should be doing orientation, if orientation is not going on smoothly we are left with no choice but to close the campus.”
“We cannot guarantee safety of the students on campus,” he adds.
Meanwhile, Higher Education Minister, Blade Nzimande, says there is no need for the national shutdown at different higher learning institutions.
He says there is no need for any student leader to encourage students to shutdown institutions of higher learning.
“I called them, held a meeting with them last week Tuesday. All students who are getting financial help from NSFAS should be allowed to register,” says Nzimande.
