STATEMENT FROM THE SENIOR EXECUTIVE TEAM
WITS STAFF RETURN TO WORK ON MONDAY, ACADEMIC PROGRAMME RESUMES ON TUESDAY
The Senior Executive Team of the University of the Witwatersrand announced today that Wits will reopen this week as follows:
1. All staff will return to work tomorrow, Monday 3 October 2016.
2. The academic programme will resume on Tuesday, 4 October 2016.
The phased opening follows several engagements with a range of stakeholders, including students, where we ceded to requests for a phased opening this week.
Safety and Security
The presence of private security and police on campus is not ideal and we understand that students and academics are not comfortable with academic activities occurring in an environment with a visible security presence.
However, we are left with no choice at this stage but to bring additional security onto campus. We will request the police to remain on the perimeter of the campus this week, unless there is a need to bring them onto campus, or there is risk to life or property.
We commit to gradually reducing the security presence provided that:
- University activities continue without disruption,
- there is no violence, intimidation or threat to students and staff,
- there is no destruction of property, and
- anyone who breaks University rules or violates the Constitutional rights of others are immediately held accountable.
We are willing to consider withdrawing private security and the police if the protesting students undertake not to impinge on the rights of those who wish to learn and work.
There is much misinformation on social media and we encourage students and staff to obtain their information from official University channels - the Wits website, staff and student emails and Wits' social media channels - @Wits_News, @WitsUniversity and the University's Facebook page.
We urge staff and students to work with us as we reopen this week. Together, we can still save the 2016 academic year, while continuing the struggle for free education for the poor and the so-called missing middle.
Wits’ SET position on free education
The Senior Executive Team supports the call for access to quality, free higher education for the poor and the so-called missing middle. In this regard, management commits to working towards this goal with all stakeholders in the sector, including student leaders.
We are willing to consult with the leaders of various constituencies on this matter, and if there is broad consensus from the University community, a General Assembly, through the resolution of Council, can be called within the next two weeks to solidify Wits’ stance on this issue. If consensus is reached by all constituencies and a decision is taken at the General Assembly for the University to participate in a public protest, then the executive management will support such a public demonstration.
The University further commits to working with the leaders of relevant stakeholders in the sector to engage on this matter at the national level.
It would be opportune to build on the work of staff and students compiled and presented by Professor Hlonipha Mokoena to the Heher Commission which puts forward models on how South Africa can progressively achieve free education for the poor and what is referred to as the missing middle.
The transformation of the curriculum is a key component of the University’s transformation programme, and a matter that the University will continue to prioritise.
Statement issued by Shirona Patel, Wits University, 2 October 2016
