Classes at UCT, Rhodes & Wits remain suspended
Student protests at Rhodes, Wits and UCT continue this morning with reports of a strong police presence on the various campusses.
WITS:
Academic activities at the Witwatersrand University will remain suspended on Tuesday following protests against proposed tuition fee hike.
The institution’s management said late Monday that the decision was taken out of concern for the health and safety of staff and students.
“Due to the ongoing protests, and concerns for the health and safety of our staff and students, it has been decided that Wits University’s academic project will be suspended for Tuesday, 20 October 2015. The suspension will be reviewed depending on further developments,” the university said in a statement.
Final examinations were set to begin in 12 days.
@Ulo_Mkat speaks to @vowfm #witsfeeswillfall cc @WitsSRC pic.twitter.com/HbQMNC9sDg
— michael smurthwaite (@DjWiggaSA) October 19, 2015UCT:
The University of Cape Town (UCT) on Monday announced it was suspending all operations and activities until further notice due to protest action by students and workers.
“All lectures, academic and other operations on upper campus, middle and lower campus at the University of Cape Town have been suspended for today,” said UCT spokesperson Gerda Kruger, adding that UCT’s Hiddingh campus, Health Sciences campus, and the Graduate School of Business would remain open.
“The decision to do so was taken after various access roads to the university were blocked by protesters. This prevented staff and students from getting to their classes and work spaces”.
Goosebumps stuff I tell you 😢 the bravery of these kids my god 🙌🏿✊🏿✊🏿shot this earlier #UCTShutdown #UCTFeesMustFall pic.twitter.com/F2evTkW0B9
— Andreas (@IAmGustav8) October 20, 2015Four stun grenades used to disperse students after arrests at UCT. #UCTFeesMustFall pic.twitter.com/KJFKMVUv3m
— Cape Times (@CapeTimesSA) October 19, 2015RHODES:
The student-led Rhodes Must Fall (RMF) movement on Wednesday interrupted the annual Nelson Mandela Foundation lecture at the University of Cape Town (UCT) calling the audience and panelists hypocritical.
“If they are concerned about inequality, they should be celebrating our protesting. Instead, they ignore our presence,” said RMF member and UCT Masters student Brian Kamanzi.
The annual lecture, which this year featured world-renowned economist Professor Thomas Piketty, was themed “Income, Wealth, and Persistent Inequality”. Alongside Piketty — who was patched in via livestream — was UCT’s Associate Professor Debbie Collier, the University of the Western Cape’s Professor Olajide Oloyede, and Stellenbosch University’s Kholekile Malindi.
Facilitating the discussion was Trevor Manuel, former finance minister and current Rothschild advisor and deputy chairman.
Now happening at the Jac Labs #RhodesShutDown #RhodesMIPMustFall pic.twitter.com/bNnJmL4QAL
— Gladiator-MsNomoyi (@KhanyisaNomoyi) October 19, 2015