Unizul campus to re-open
Dave Savides
UNIZUL management will
not accede to student
demands after a week of
unrest on campus led to its
closure.
The doors of the university
will re-open on Wednesday,
with classes resuming on
Thursday.
According to Mike Khuboni,
Director of Public
Relations, each student will
be required to sign a
declaration that they will
abide by the rules before
they are re-admitted.
Student unhappiness flared,
said Bongani Sithole,
Secretary of the SA Student
Congress (SASCO), when
Unizul Rector Rachel Gumbi
did not answered adequately
a number of grievances
submitted to her and the
University Council in a
memorandum on 4 August.
SASCO said its issues
included:
• Shortage of residences
This despite the fact that
Unizul had secured
R24-million for new
residences, the building of
which should have begun in
May last year.
The same applies to promised
lecture halls and other
facilities. Also,
maintenance of residences is
deemed ‘poor’.
• Curriculum reviewal
While Unizul degrees are
accredited, students say
programmes offered by the
university make them
‘unemployable’, because of
lack of contact between
Unizul and the public and
private sectors.
• High fees
Annual rises in fees do not
take into account that most
students are from poor and
disadvantaged backgrounds.
• Degree requirements too
stringent
The number of modules (48)
to be completed for a three
year programme is a ‘heavy
burden’.
• Consultation
An Imbizo promised earlier
this year has not
materialised and one is
demanded by tomorrow
(Tuesday).
• Raids
SASCO complained of
ill-treatment by campus
security in terms of
‘raiding and a brutal
pregnancy policy’.
Rector and Vice-Chancellor,
Prof Rachel Gumbi said no
Imbizo could take place
‘with the current scenario’.
Regarding the new
residences, the Rector said
the tender process would
commence in mid-August.
She said plans had been made
to accommodate students at
eSikhawini College, with
transport provided, but the
SRC had said students did
not want to go there.
Raids, she said, were in
response to student
complaints of drugs,
assaults and thefts on
campus.
In terms of the curriculum,
Gumbi said partnerships had
been forged with both
national and provincial
government as well as the
private sector.
With regard to alleged high
fees, she said Unizul has
the lowest fees of any
university.
‘Currently this institution
is receiving 50 per cent of
its expenditure from
government.
‘We need students to pay
fees and are exploring a
third stream income,’ said
Gumbi.
