On the Cost of damage in our Universities Arising from 2015 Students Protests
15 March 2016
The department is particularly concerned about the damages to our Universities as a results of 2015 students protests and the costs thereto. The net effect of this reality means that a lot of money must be directed to renovations than to important areas of improving our system and deploying more resources to assist poor students in the system.
The table below provides details on the costs of damage at affected universities as a result of student protests. Reported incidents of campus unrest are for the period October 2015 - January 2016:
|
Institution |
Estimated cost of damage |
|
University of Stellenbosch |
R352 000.00 |
|
North West University |
R612 000.00 |
|
University of Limpopo |
R1 786 294.52 |
|
University of Johannesburg |
R345 000.00 |
|
University of the Western Cape |
R46 544 446.00 |
|
Walter Sisulu University |
R351 287.19 |
|
Tshwane University of Technology |
R5 073 747.73 |
|
University of KwaZulu-Natal |
R82 000 000.00 |
|
Cape Peninsula University of Technology |
R689 850.14 |
|
University of Cape Town |
R1 415 693.14 |
|
University of Zululand |
R4 500 000.00 |
|
Rhodes University |
R250 000.00 |
|
University of Witwatersrand |
R1 410 223.00 |
|
Total |
R145 330 541.72 |
The fuller assessment costs of 2016 damage in our Universities is being done to appreciate the scale of damage.
The Minister insist that whilst protests is a democratic right in the country but the resort to violence and damage to property, as has happened repeatedly, constitute a criminal act that must be prosecutable. It is in the light of these, that the Minister has met with the Police Minister to agree on stronger deployment of police into Universities where protests are reported to protect universities’ property, the staff and students from protestors.
We urge majority of students to stand up and denounce these acts. We are calling for parents, faith based organisations and society at large, to condemn this new phenomena of criminal behaviour. Universities are public assets belonging to the public at large and to the generations to come. Protecting these institutions, should be a societal responsibility, not only government.
Statement issued by Khaye Nkwanyana, Director: Media Liaison Officer, Department of Higher Education and Training, 15 March 2016
