Tshwane North college students demand funding
The students addressed several issues including the national students financial aid scheme (NSFAS) payment delays, lack of accredited residences, on-campus safety and students exclusion.
Tshwane North College students marched to department of higher education and training to demand a response following their memorandum of grievances they submitted.
The students addressed several issues including the national students financial aid scheme (NSFAS) payment delays, lack of accredited residences, on-campus safety and students exclusion.
“We have been quiet for too long allowing the principal to run this institution as though it is a high school or a private company,” said Lesego Makhubela the ANCYL chairperson in Tshwane.
Makhubela said he could not understand why as the grants were transferred to the accounts of the college but delayed for students. He said they were in this situation because of the student leaders who were suspended.
“We find ourselves in this situation because anybody who stands up for students in this institution is suspended and blocked from registering.
READ MORE: Protest action hits north
“We are uniting students to fight the principal and demand that the campus be closed until our grievances are heard,” said Makhubela.
SASCO PEC member Malesela Madisha said that they were facing a lot of issues including safety on campus. “In Soshanguve south campus they terminated contracts of five lecturers, currently we do not have lectures.
“We opened a case as students are being raped inside the campus.”
Madisha said that the management closed down the residences saying they will renovate them, “but until today, no progress has been made”.
“We hope the department will hear our grievances,” SRC chairperson Bongani Sibiya said, adding that the college was delaying their funds deliberately.
“The management is running the campus in its own way.
“We want accredited residences for our students because they are being kicked out of their renting places due to finances.
READ MORE: TUT students take matters into their own hands
“The department has requested to meet and discuss the issues in order to give them report on Monday,” said Sibiya.
DHET spokesperson Ishmael Mnisi confirmed that the department has received a memorandum of grievances dated 13th February 2020, from the SRC- Pretoria campus of the Tshwane North College.
“The department will be engaging the college and the SRC on all the issues contained in the memorandum.
“Following these engagements a public statement will be issued on the outcome of the meeting,” Mnisi said.
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