POLOKWANE – Four Capricorn TVET College Seshego campus students were released from police custody on a warning, following a court appearance before the Seshego Magistrate’s Court this morning (March 2).

The students were found in possession of assets belonging to the college outside of its premises on Tuesday (February 28) after the burning of property during a student protest.

“The college did not open a case against them, but they were picked up by police who were monitoring the situation.  They were found carrying chairs and tables from the premises,” college spokesperson Madire Mashabela confirmed.

One of the college’s vehicles was set alight and windows in the security guard’s offices broken after stones were thrown.

The entrance block to the campus was also damaged during a demonstration by students over what they say is the college’s refusal to listen to their grievances.

Besides their complaints of a shortage of textbooks and lecturers, unpaid 2022 NSFAS allowances also seem to be the issue.

Students say funding statuses from the scheme for those whose applications were pending were approved a day after the demonstration, leading them to believe that the delay in the disbursement was on the part of the college.

College management, however, refuted allegations of the shortages, saying they had been keeping the Student Representative Council updated on all issues, including the recent addition of lecturers and acquisition of textbooks.

“The acquisition of textbooks started three weeks ago. More lecturers started working since February 17. We have been uploading 2023 declaration forms on the NSFAS portal and continue to do so on our campus premises, however, it is not as quick as it was before due to the damaged to property and workers being delayed by the clean-up,” Mashabela added.

Meanwhile, there was an attempt to join the protest by the college’s campus in Polokwane yesterday but Mashabela confirmed that it did not last long and students were sent home.

Teaching and learning at the Seshego campus has been temporarily suspended.