Students urged to return to class to save academic year

10 October 2016 - Wits University

Update from the Senior Executive Team (10:00):

The majority of lectures resumed this morning but were then disrupted by large groups of protestors in Parktown and Braamfontein. Some shops in the Matrix have been shut down. The police are present and security has been deployed to manage the situation. 

We would also like to clarify the following, which students claim are the internal issues for the protests:

Management has engaged several times with student leaders directly and through mediators throughout last week, to no avail.

We are open to the idea of an imbizo, provided that it is a two way engagement, chaired by a neutral facilitator, with a specific time frame, and not in front of cameras. This imbizo should not impact on the academic programme.

No student will be barred from writing examinations because of unpaid fees.

Senate has approved a new academic calendar and examination timetable and it will be made available to all students and staff in the next few days.

Amnesty will not be considered for anyone involved in criminal activities.  

In Parktown, we need to move people out of the PKV2 residence so that we can build more classrooms. We have secured two other residences to accommodate these students, introduced hundreds of new beds and agreed not to move any students until the University closes for the holidays.

The University has committed to the principle of working towards free education. We have no authority to implement this but are willing to advocate for support from relevant stakeholders.  

We are comfortable to hold a general assembly once consensus is reached with the students on the issue of free education. 

We urge students and staff to return to classes this week, even if disruptions occur. We understand that there may be disruptions, but we have no choice but to try to save the academic year.

Update:

Statement on disruptions and classes today

10 October 2016 - Wits University

Update from the Senior Executive Team (13:00):

Following the disruption of classes on the Parktown and Braamfontein campuses this morning, hundreds of students gathered outside the Great Hall, demanding access to Solomon House, even though we had allocated designated areas for protest. 

The students started throwing sizeable rocks that could have maimed or killed people. The police dispersed the crowd using stun grenades, teargas and water cannons. Some of the crowd remain outside the Great Hall while others have since dispersed into Braamfontein. Two arrests were made this morning and some minor injuries have been reported. 

The Dean of Students engaged with the student leaders and asked them to put forward 20 representatives to engage with management. The students did not take up this offer. 

The University offered to hold an imbizo, a two way engagement facilitated by a neutral facilitator within a time frame. However, this cannot be brought about through threats. We cannot allow students to violate the rules of the University and bring about an imbizo through threats. This is not democratic behaviour. 

Several of Wits’ classes on various campuses are continuing today, albeit with low numbers. Where Heads of Schools are comfortable for the academic programme to continue, classes should resume. Please inform the Head of Security and your respective Dean if you wish to continue classes so that appropriate security measures can be put in place. 

Further communication will follow this afternoon.

Update:

Wits remains open on Tuesday

10 October 2016 - Wits University

Update from Senior Executive Team (18:00):

It has been a difficult day for students and staff at Wits today, with classes on all campuses disrupted from mid-morning to mid-afternoon. 

Following the disruption of some lectures, protestors gathered in front of the Great Hall and threw rocks at private security. The police responded and dispersed the crowd using teargas, stun grenades and water cannons. The protestors ran into Braamfontein, where we have heard that a bus was set alight and people were injured through skirmishes with the police. 

Despite these challenges, the Deans have confirmed that just over half of all lectures went ahead today across campuses. The operational control of the security is in the hands of the police and they have agreed to deploy resources on a building by building basis tomorrow. The National Commissioner has advised that there is a clear strategy to arrest any individual involved in criminal activity. At least eleven arrests were made by the police today. 

Please note that the Yale Road North and Yale Road South will be open tomorrow morning. The Enoch Sontonga gate will be closed. We apologise for any inconvenience caused. 

We reiterate that we have met with some student leaders privately and we are open to engaging with students from all societies and mediators to try to find a negotiated settlement. The Dean of Students invited 20 student representatives to meet with management today, but the students did not take the offer. We are also open to an imbizo provided that it doesn’t fall into teaching time, it is facilitated independently, it allows for two way conversation and is planned in advance. 

We are happy to address all internal issues as described earlier but it is beyond our control to give students free education now. 

Wits has pledged its support for the goal of free, fully funded, quality, decolonised higher education. We pledge to approach government with a united voice for the realisation of this goal. We pledge to deploy our intellectual resources towards finding the best solutions. We are also prepared to support peaceful advocacy activities in this regard. Read the full pledge. 

We have a strenuous week ahead but we are determined to get the full academic programme back on track.

Issued by Wits, 10 October 2016