Students lay down their textbooks in Protest

Members of the South African Student Committee (SASCO) and those of the African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) picketed outside the Dundee Technology Centre (DTC) on Tuesday, in conjunction with strikes conducted at the other four Majuba campuses in Northern KwaZulu-Natal.
SASCO and ANCYL want a decision taken by the Financial Assistance Committee on Monday, at the central Majuba college in Newcastle, to be reversed. It was announced in the meeting that National Students’ Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) stipend for accommodation and transport is to dwindle from R1 000 to R600 per trimester. It was also decided that the monies were only to be awarded to exit students (those completing their last year on campus).
“The majority of Majuba students rely on NSFAS, as many come from as far as Msinga. Others are renting homes, so how is this R600 going to assist them?” said Mr V Phungula, former DTC President. He said they want the Student Management Team (SMT) to forward their grievances to the central college, to which other campuses submitted their grievances on Tuesday. He and other SASCO members argue that the DTC is the only campus that is operating while other campuses are on strike, fighting for the same issues that affect each Majuba student who is funded by the NSFAS.
Mr Phungula said that SEDSMO members did not attend the FAC meeting, as there is no one representing them at the central Majuba branch. The DTC is the only campus in Northern KZN that is headed by SADESMO; SASCO leads the other four.
Tension between members of SASCO and SADESMO could be felt on the day – SASCO claimed that SADESMO had hidden information from students, and threatened class reps not to divulge the information or the blame would be placed on them.
SADESMO was angered by the picketing outside the campus, which they say ‘disturbed students who were writing tests’.
Mr NV Vilane, member of the SMT and Business Management Lecturer at the DTC, confirmed that they were informed of the picketing, and the campus had not been disrupted in any way as lecturing and writing of tests continued as normal. He indicated, however, that “There is a possibility that SASCO might like management and lecturers to pledge solidarity with the other campuses.”
SADESMO was unhappy with the fact that majority of the picketers were people whom they said were not even enrolled at the campus, and were there purely to disrupt classes. Later in the day members of SADESMO from the Madedeni Technology Centre came to campus, saying, “We are here to support and guide our fellow comrades.”