TUT activities suspended

All activities at the Tshwane University of Technology have been suspended for the rest of the week.

The move was prompted by students protests against rising university fees the past few days.

TUT spokesperson Willa de Ruyter said campus activities would resume on Monday.

“The Tshwane University of Technology’s management has suspended activities at all campuses for the remainder of the week,” she said.

“This decision was taken in view of the current national protest action about student fees, and to allow for discussions about student fees at TUT between management and the CSRC, to continue on Thursday, 22 October 2015.”

De Ruyter said residences would be open to students and additional security would be in place to ensure the safety of the students. Essential services, including services at residences, would continue.

“Students will be informed by their departments about academic recovery plans. All staff members at all campuses are expected to report for work on Monday, 26 October 2015 and students too,” she said.

“In support of the no fee increment at universities all over the country, students from TUT joined the national protest. They demonstrated on Wednesday morning, leading to the suspension of classes and university lock-down.”

SA Students Congress vice chairperson Monkie Maluleka said a meeting between management and student leader about fees was held on Monday.

“It was supposed to reconvene today [Wednesday], but there was no meeting because all we are saying is ‘fees must fall’.”

Maluleka said campus protests some weeks ago were about the same issue.

“The minister of higher education must come to the party to see what can be done to assist the students so that the fees do not increase,” he said.

The TUT Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) spokesperson Tshepang Makgatlha said struggling students were being forced to fork out more money and this would be killing them.

“This demonstration is to say no fee increment, but it is also a call to the minister make education free. Twenty years down the line we are still struggling with fees at universities,” he said.

“We will demonstrate tirelessly until there is a positive response from the university and the government.”

Addressing the students outside the campus, one of the student leaders said the major problem was that the vice chancellor earned more than a million rand annually.

Pan Africanist Student Movement of Azania (Pasma) chairperson at the TUT leader Mlungisi Nkonyana told Rekord that students would not agree to pay more while the vice chancellor was earning more than a million rand.

“The vice chancellor also receives a clothing allowance. If fees increase, lecturers’ salaries will automatically increase,” said Nkonyana.

He said Pasma wanted corruption at the university to be rooted out.

“As you can see the management of the university is here and they are not saying anything worthwhile, but are just here to threaten us,” he said.

“If after the meeting today [Thursday] they come back and say the 6% increment is being implemented, the university will not function until our demand of 0% increase is met.”

Students shouted insults and slurs at the police and the university management on Wednesday.

TUT students were still demonstrating on Thursday and said they would keep doing so until their demands were met.

Also read: 

Students want no fee increment

Campuses shut down amid protests

Daso and Cosas dare Blade Nzimande

Hundreds protest against Tuks fees

Zuma must address SA urgently to restore calm – DA