The Free Education Movement at the University of the Free State is threatening to embark on action aimed at totally shutting down the institution in support of students who have not registered for the 2019 academic year.
Movement leader Asive Dlanjwa says thousands of students have not been able to register because they cannot afford to do so while others have been academically excluded due to outstanding fees.
Dlanjwa says they are left without an option but to halt academic activities.
“The final-year students who have outstanding fees were told that they must go back home. Some of them have four, five modules left and these students are not allowed to register, yet they’re in the exit. So, we are saying that these students must be allowed to register. Secondly, we are saying the registration figures are still too high. Students are not being able to register. We are almost done with the first academic week and majority in fact a lot of students have not yet been able to register,” says Dlanjwa.
Meanwhile, at Cape Town the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) two buses have been torched and the administration building stoned by protesting students on the Bellville Campus.
The university says 20 students have also been arrested on the Athlone Campus on charges of public violence. The protests are related a lack of students’ accommodation.
CPUT Spokesperson, Lauren Kansley explains the situation at the university.
“In the first incident, the facade of the main administration building was stoned and in the second incident, two shuttle buses were torched. We view these incidents as cowardly criminal attacks conducted by a small group. The shuttle buses are needed to transport students between campuses and their loss will affect the larger student population. The incidents have not disrupted classes or work and all CPUT campuses remain open and operational,” explains Kansley.
