Wits Vice-Chancellor willing to meet with SRC

Wits University’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Zeblon Vilakazi, says he is willing to meet with representatives of the Student Representative Council (SRC) despite the suspension of its President, Aphiwe Mnyamana.

On Wednesday, the SRC said if the university met certain demands, it would suspend the students’ protest action, to allow for negotiation of the initial demands.

The students are demanding that all those owing R150 000 or less, be allowed to register, the R10 000 upfront fee for Wits residences be waived and the R45 000 NSFAS cap for residences be scrapped.

Vilakazi says in the absence of Mnyamana, his deputy will stand in.

“Whoever is the assisting designate, the Deputy President must be the one who leads the discussion. You get suspended not as an office bearer, you get suspended as an individual who transgressed for grievous behaviour. As an office bearer, one has to always live up to the office. Even if I myself were to be found guilty of transgressions, I would have to step aside and let the deputy act while the process is in play,” Vilakazi says.

Wits University SRC agrees to 24-hour ceasefire