Students from the University of Mpumalanga (UMP) have stopped classes, demanding that management address their grievances.

The students had requested a meeting with management last week, to which UMP replied with a date and time but failed to attend.

Mcolisi Ngcamphalala, SRC president, said they decided to strike as they tried several times to speak to management.

In a memorandum they plan to submit to the university, their concerns include the removal of the housing director
Dr Nomvula Twaise, due to the inability to resolve matters of off-campus student accommodation which affect students negatively; for agriculture students to receive the needed protective clothing; full control of the SRC budget, which they have been denied in the past, which makes it difficult for them to perform their duties; the halt of the deliberate omission of student representatives in matters affecting students; the memorandum notes allegations of corruption in the institution regarding namely but not limited to student finance, the appointment of the new director, and allegations against the vice-chancellor Prof Thoko Mayekiso.

The students further reject the response by council and demand that the vice-chancellor be suspended until further notice pending investigation.

Allegations of personnel deliberately failing students needs to be investigated and the safety of students in the institution were also highlighted.

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The dean of students, Dr Paul Maminza, confirmed that indeed the students had requested a meeting.

“We responded to them and I was supposed to have a meeting with them on Monday at 15:00. However, my other meeting was longer than I had anticipated it to be.

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I sent a message to my secretary requesting that she inform them that I will be late,” Maminza explained.