The NWU management blames its decision to shut down the campus to alleged violence that erupted on the campus amidst countrywide student protests. The institution alleges that on Monday – the first day of the protests led by the South African Union of Students (Saus) – a band of senior students assaulted “other students and damaged university property”. While the institution maintains such an incident did take place and an assault case has been opened with Mmabatho Police as a result, the President of the Student Representative Council (SRC) at the Mahikeng campus, Theo Seepamore, says this is untrue.

“We as the SRC have released a statement also from our side that the students must not go anywhere. Students who don’t want to go home, should not be forced to do so,” says Seepamore. “There is no eviction order or anything of some sort that has been released,” he says. The SRC President asks what about the students who have come as far as Zimbabwe and Umtata in the Eastern Cape.

The SRC stresses they have been holding a peaceful protest which has been led by the South African Union of Students (Saus).

Meanwhile, normalcy has returned to NWU’s Vaal campus. NWU spokesperson, Louis Jacobs, already confirmed registration will continue at both the institution’s Potchefstroom and Vaal Triangle campuses on Tuesday, while staff at the Mahikeng campus have been informed not to report for duty as a safety precaution.

Saus’ list of 16 demands include that “all students with historical debts be allowed to register at all universities” and free registration for “poor and vulnerable students”.

Nzimande is reported to have already said historical debt for students who don’t qualify for the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) cannot be erased.

Protest action was reported at the Central University of Technology on Monday on Saus’ social media page. The OFM News team was at the institution’s Bloemfontein campus on Tuesday, where all appears to be normal, with nothing seeming to be out of place.

The situation at the UFS’ Bloemfontein campus appears to have normalised. UFS spokesperson, Lacea Loader, says in a statement “the student registration process is proceeding as planned and per the university’s registration programme. The situation is, however, still being closely monitored”.

No incidents have been reported and SPU’s communication team is yet to respond to questions on the matter.

OFM News