Students at the Tshwane University of Technology’s (TUT) Pretoria West campus closed the institution’s gates and torched the service bus, as they embarked in a protest on Tuesday morning.
They closed down the main gates leaving thousands of students, who stay off campus, stranded outside the university. Buses that were transporting students from TUT Arcadia, Ga-Rankuwa and Soshanguve were denied access to the campus.
The students were irked by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) who, according to them, have demanded that the students start paying their fees as there was no budget. Several students have complained earlier this semester that they were sent messages by the financial aid office, requesting them to start paying their fees as there was no budget for them.
According to one of the Student Representative Council members, the protest was instigated by the concerned university’s political student structures. “This strike was caused by the ANC Youth League, EFF, SASCO, SYM, PASMA and the Radical Movement Change.
This comes after they were angered by the university’s principal, Ntabiseng Ogude who failed to tend to their plight.
“When we requested to engage Ogude, we were told that she is in Nigeria, which seems to be a serious lie. These people are playing with our emotions. We cannot be told to pay our fees at this time of the year while we were promised earlier that our financial problems will be taken care of,” said the student leader who wanted to remain anonymous.
Record’s attempt to get a comment from the university’s spokesperson, Willa de Ruyter, proved futile as her phone was either unanswered or on voicemail.
Provincial police spokeswoman, Khensani Magoai said the strike started at about four o’clock in the morning after reports that a school service bus was on fire.
She told Rekord that the police were called to the scene after several students were reported to be on strike on the campus.
“We have opened a case of public violence and malicious damage to property. There were no reported injuries and no arrests made. Police are continuing to monitor the situation,” she said.
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