Students at the University of Fort Hare in the Eastern Cape have vowed to intensify their protests until their demands are met. They’re calling on the institution to implement stringent security measures on campus and scrap the historical debt.
It’s estimated that nearly 3 000 students have not registered for the 2020 academic year due to outstanding debt.
The students have further accused Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sakhela Buhlungu of not having their interests at heart.
Students at the University of Fort Hare getting shot while they are cuffed!!#BudgetSpeech2020#Ufh_shutdown#ufhshutdown#financialexclusion pic.twitter.com/URWhRswFIG
— Mxolisi Nomdletshe (@MNomdletshe) February 26, 2020
Fort Hare management has given a mandate that students must be brutally beaten and arrested inside their rooms.@Julius_S_Malema @BladeNzimandeMP @eNCA @PresidencyZA #BudgetSpeech2020 #SaveUFH#FinancialExclusion #UFH_SHUTDOWN pic.twitter.com/SE9h4lzOC0
— Chwayta_M (@chwayta_m) February 26, 2020
SRC member Zenathi Mbenya academic activities cannot continue while students have outstanding debt.
“Those normal activities cannot continue while students’ fees are still outstanding. Also in anticipation of the fact that the SRC will be tabling the perspective of students; the current affairs on both the East London and Alice campuses to the portfolio committee on higher education on Tuesday. The call is to intensify and continue shutting down the institution until all their demands have been met.”
University spokesperson, Thandi Mapukata, says they’re doing their best to bring operations back to normal.
Since the beginning of this year (2020), the university has been doing its best to implement all the guidelines that have been proposed and implemented by the minister to enable all of those students who meet the criteria to register for this academic year. Those consultations have not stopped; several concessions have been made by the university management to really assist those students that qualify.”
