The Students’ Representative Council (SRC) at Wits University has vowed to shut down the institution on Wednesday until its members’ demands are met.
On Tuesday, students at the university embarked on a protest against the financial exclusion of about 80 000 students.
They used rocks and burning tyres to blockade the busy Empire road opposite the Wits Braamfontein campus. One person was arrested and several others injured after police fired rubber bullets to disperse students who were forcefully trying to gain entry to the Wits Medical School in Parktown.
Police intervened after students tried to force their way into the Wits Medical school in Parktown and the Wits Braamfontein campus.
Students want those who owe the university R150 000 in historical debt to be allowed to register.
One student arrested, several others injured after police fired rubber bullets:
Wits SRC president Mpendulo Mfeka says they will shut down Wits from 7am, saying the University must not operate until we get what we want.
Wits spokesperson Shiron Patel says, “Twenty million is available to help students who are facing financial hardship and that those who owe R120 000 or less can apply for this fund…”
“We are open and have extended multiple invitations to the SRC to continue our engagements on these matters,” added Patel.
Meanwhile, Wits says it is committed to helping students who are facing financial problems but has conceded that it cannot afford to give free education to all of them.
The institution says it has made R10 million available to help affected students and those who have historical debt.
SRC’s Kamohelo Chauke says, “About 80 000 students are still not registered because of that financial exclusion problem. So that’s the reason the SRC has decided to find another way of trying to communicate with the university.”
SRC in support of deserving students:
JOINT MEMORANDUM OF DEMANDS TO WITS UNIVERSITY ON STUDENT DEBT AND THE FINANCIAL EXCLUSION CRISIS✊?#CancelStudentDebt pic.twitter.com/3ATKfLjrYf
— Wits Physics Council (@Wits_Physics) March 1, 2021
All students must be allowed to register ! #Witsasinamali pic.twitter.com/RAQM9NPOhv
— Wits SRC (@Wits_SRC) March 9, 2021
To the picket line, students shall register #witsasinamali pic.twitter.com/qs84OBe6yP
— Wits SRC (@Wits_SRC) March 9, 2021
All students must register. We will fight until our demands are met. No retreat ! #Witsasinamali pic.twitter.com/Py3lJR1urF
— Wits SRC (@Wits_SRC) March 9, 2021
Students will register pic.twitter.com/6uTWMeHMY1
— Wits SRC (@Wits_SRC) March 9, 2021
Wits SRC takes strike to the national road and we refuse to move until @ZeblonVilakazi addresses us @JeromeSeppie @Newzroom405 @SABCNews pic.twitter.com/DL0ptKAopO
— Wits SRC (@Wits_SRC) March 9, 2021
