Chaos at Unisa's Sunnyside campus
Protests continued at Unisa's Sunnyside campus on Monday, with some students jumping over the university's gates in an attempt to enter the campus.
Staff members have been unable to access the campus.
Unisa says it has not been able to open its gates for walk-in applications due to disagreements between the Economic Freedom Fighters Student Command (EFFSC) and the Progressive Youth Alliance (PYA).
Unisa agreed to allow walk-in's on Friday following demonstrations by the EFFSC.
"The result of this is that there seems to be a power struggle between two student bodies. With one student body not allowing people to enter the campus and another wanting to ensure students go on," says Unisa spokesperson Martin Ramotshela.
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A representative of the South African Students Congress (SASCO), who only wanted to be identified as Siya, says the protest relates to the announcement of free tertiary education.
"This protest action was organised by PYA, this includes SASCO and the ANCYL. We have a lot of demands we want to bring to the university management. On top of the list was regarding the implementation of free education. The institution has not indicated how free education will be implemented. We are concerned because the announcement was made before the ANC's national conference and this university management has not sat down to discuss the implementation."
Some students have also pushed their way inside the registration centre.
#UnisaProtest: One of PYA’s demands among others is to know, how and when is Unisa implementing #FreeEducation as pronounced by Pres. Jacob Zuma.
— Jacaranda News (@JacaNews) January 15, 2018
Sasco representative, Siya, says students demand to know managements technical plan to implementing #FreeEducation. pic.twitter.com/MccxTYeCiq
#UnisaProtest: Students are pushing their way into the resignations center at Unisa, this comes after demonstrations by the #PYA.
— Jacaranda News (@JacaNews) January 15, 2018
The PYA demands to know the implementation of #FreeEducation. pic.twitter.com/eWp68tyCeO
#UnisaProtest: Unisa management says students should go home and come back tomorrow to register.
— Jacaranda News (@JacaNews) January 15, 2018
The seems to be a misunderstanding between the EFF student command and PYA. #EFF students wing, demands students to register today, while PYA asks managents instructions be obeyed pic.twitter.com/ULwGYmmiNP
Ramotshela the university is doing its best to contain the situation.
"I can confirm that currently we have three senior people of the university at Vice Principal level who are currently on the crowd trying to mediate between the two groups so that we are able to enter the campus and open for business."
No violence or injuries have been reported.