Office of the Campus Rector Feedback: Wheels at the Vaal 2014 Dear student, 09 October 2014 Representatives of the Campus Management met with representatives from the Campus Student Representative Council (CSRC) on Friday, 02 October 2014, to provide feedback on issues raised regarding the Wheels at the Vaal Motor Show (which was hosted on the Campus on 6 and 7 September 2014). Campus Management would like to make use of this opportunity to also provide the student community with the necessary feedback in this regard. Issues identified by the CSRC: 1. “The contract between the University and the organisers of the ‘Wheels on the Vaal’ event must be reviewed on the basis that proceeds made from the event are not beneficial to the students in any way whatsoever. Secondly, the event does not promote racial diversity as the attendees of the event are predominantly of one racial group”. The income generated from renting out of the facilities for the Wheels at the Vaal Motor Show and provision of specialist services is referred to as Money Stream 3 Income initiative. This money is used in various ways that are directly beneficial to the student community, such as: • Covering the shortfall in tuition fees and subsidy funding; • Meal-a-Day Project and • Maintenance of facilities. 2. “The CSRC condemns the behaviour of management to allow external stakeholders to host events that do not benefit the student populace in any way, but refuses to allow the CSRC to host events (e.g. RAG) that will benefit the students in one or another. The hiring of venues to for events is costly to the CSRC whereas those funds could be used to assist students”. The notion that students do not benefit from the hosting of external events was corrected and explained in point number 1. The Campus Management acknowledges the important function of RAG as an intervention to make students aware of the importance of civic engagement and volunteerism. In an effort to ensure the success of an event such as RAG it should be supported by all Campus stakeholders and a well-executed business plan. The CSRC and the Dean of Students will continue to engage one another to come up with a way forward in terms of the RAG. 3. “The CSRC has demanded that the management releases a statement to the students pertaining to the Wheels at the Vaal event and also encapsulating an apology about the public occurrence of a Magic Lawns supervisor being in a physical altercation with another Magic Lawns employee. We cannot have such behaviour during this critical time on our campus”. Both the Campus and Magic Garden Services (PTY) LTD investigated the matter in question and herewith the findings: • Both parties were found to be guilty of losing their tempers and investigators found the incident to be work related and not racially motivated; • There was pushing from both sides and no physical assault took place – and no charges of assault was laid; • Magic Garden Services (PTY) LTD formally apologise to the staff and students of the Vaal Triangle Campus and gave their assurance that they will do everything possible to prevent similar incidents in the future and • Both parties are to attend compulsory Anger Management and Labour Relations training. I want to reiterate my statement that the safety and wellbeing of all members of the Campus community – be it staff or students, remain a high priority for the Campus Management. I want to furthermore thank the CSRC for their willingness to engage Campus Management in positive and productive dialogue.
Posted on: Thu, 09 Oct 2014 12:10:33 +0000
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