Student protests at Wits on 3 March 2023. Photo: The Citizen/Reitumetse Makwea
Wits University on Friday responded to the ongoing student protest demands for 2023 registration and funding.
The university also addressed what it calls “misinformation” shared by some protestors.
One of the demands made was for the university to assist students with funding.
Wits said it committed R150 million for bursaries and scholarships this year, and R1.6 billion last year, which helped 26 000 students with financial aid.
The protestors also demanded that the university add R30 million to the Wits Hardship Fund.
The university said R28 million had been committed through the fund to assist qualifying students to register and to secure emergency accommodation.
Wits said it could not agree with the demand to register all students who owe R150 000 and below, as this would amount to hundreds of millions of rand.
That said, the university remains committed to welcoming as many academically deserving students as possible.
Wits cannot enroll students who performed poorly just because they want to be admitted, as it would deprive other deserving students of opportunities.
Wits addressed the demand to cover the shortfall created by the R4 500 National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) annual cap on accommodation.
The university said it cannot change NSFAS policies, but accredited providers agreed to host students within cap.
To this end, Wits secured 350 beds plus an additional 150 to assist students in need, particularly 40 vulnerable students who had no place to stay.
