Staff, students suspended amid protests at UJ

The suspensions follow protests at the institution, vice chancellor Ihron Rensburg said on Thursday.  

The institution had acquired a court interdict to halt protests on its campus, which was in turn violated by the students and the staff members, said Rensburg.

“Charge sheets have been give to the five students and some staff members, excluding outsourced staff because they are not employed by UJ. Disciplinary proceedings would start soon,” Rensburg told reporters at a briefing at the UJ Kingsway campus.

He said the university had two outsourced contracts, and the contractors had also acquired court interdicts to prevent their employees from protesting and disrupting those who wanted to work.

Charge sheets were circulated on Twitter, including that of SRC president Khutso Rammutla.

Earlier, Rensburg said a task team had been formed to look into the contentious matter of using contract workers at the institution.

“The task team will start its work tomorrow, labour unions, the Student Representative Council and experts form part of the team and will look deeply into outsourcing. The team will look into how the university can exit current contracts with service providers,” Rensburg told reporters at a briefing as protests by workers and students turned violent on Thursday.

He admitted that his institution had “made a mistake” by outsourcing services such as cleaning.

“We are not against insourcing workers here at UJ, we recognise we clearly made a mistake on outsourcing along with the other universities. Outsourcing has affected the lives of people who pick up our rubbish, and it is wrong,” said Rensburg.

“We actually agree to insource … but unfortunately this cannot be done tomorrow. There are rules to follow in exiting contracts, in determining a cleaner’s wages in accordance with the university’s wage structure”.

The task team, chaired by deputy vice chancellor Mpho Letlape, would start its work on Friday.

The outsourcing issue was expected to be fully resolved before the end of the academic year.

Workers, who were mostly cleaners, were joined by a group of students who have been protesting outside the campus since Monday. They demanded the immediate scrapping of outsourcing of staff at the institution.

A stand-off between private security guards and the protesters ensued on Thursday, which saw protesters manhandled by hired security personnel and pepper sprayed. Those who were injured during the melee were taken to hospital.

ANA

Photo: Maryke Vermaak