A number of students were allegedly shot with rubber bullets and the injured rushed to Frere Hospital. For the first time in weeks, the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), headed by Minister Blade Nzimande, which has declined to comment on the protracted strike at WSU, yesterday came out in support of administrator Professor Lourens van Staden. The strike has paralysed learning for 21 000 students for the past five and a half weeks. DHET spokeswoman Kefilwe Makhanya said Van Staden was following instructions from the department. “It needs to be understood that the administrator was placed at WSU by the DHET and is therefore dealing with the challenges at the university as per his brief from the department. “His role is not separate from that of the department. “Negotiations are continuing, involving various stakeholder groups within the university. There is a clear turnaround plan and that is what the administrator’s interventions are based on,” Makhanya said. In his memo, Van Staden announced that all students should vacate residences at campuses and rented flats with immediate effect. According to the memo, no student should be at the residences by midday today. Van Staden sent out the memo just about when students from other institutions of higher learning in the Buffalo City region were expected to embark on mass action in a show of solidarity with their WSU counterparts. But the protest was called off. A Facebook page “Save Walter Sisulu University” has been set up by former students. WSU Institutional Student Representative Council president Ngobe Lali said the move to evict students would not assist in resolving the impasse. “These were our attempts to resolve this situation. We have not done anything wrong.” South African Student Congress provincial secretary Tembani Makata said the eviction of students was a move to silence them. WSU spokeswoman Angela Church said plans would be made to accommodate students from neighbouring countries. Church said the decision was taken with the aim of protecting students. “This does not mean that the university has been closed. Students will be called when the strike has been resolved.” East London police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Mtati Tana confirmed the showdown between students and police on Monday night. However, Tana said there were no reported arrests. In Mthatha, about 2 000 students embarked on a peaceful march yesterday and handed over a petition to a representative from the office of premier Noxolo Kiviet. — additional reporting by Loyiso Mpalantshane
Posted on: Wed, 28 Aug 2013 11:19:57 +0000
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