nwu

Photo: @sentleL69 / TW

Fees Must Fall: NWU students shutdown Mahikeng campus [video]

Tensions were high at the main entrance of NWU’s Mahikeng campus.

nwu

Photo: @sentleL69 / TW

The North-West University (NWU) has been on lockdown for the most part of this week and on Thursday, staffers were refused entry into the Mahikeng campus by student protesters.

NWU joins public universities national shutdown

As reported by Sowetan Live the South African Union of Students (SAUS) has claimed responsibility for all of the unrest we have seen at different tertiary institutions in some provinces.

Registration and orientation programs have been halted at the following universities:

Tensions were high at the main entrance of NWU’s Mahikeng campus. A large contingent of armed officers and private security was seen monitoring the activities of the protesters.

The students were allowed to block entry into the university,

At this time, no violence has broken out as yet but this can’t be ruled out.

What do the students want?

The chaos, according to NWU spokesperson Louis Jacobs, broke out on Monday 27 January, when a mob of senior students randomly attacked people on campus and damaged property.

“On Monday, a group of senior students assaulted other students and damaged university property. These unacceptable actions were reported to the police and a case of assault has been opened.

“The safety of students and staff on campus is increasingly in jeopardy, so after consultations with relevant stakeholders including SAPS, the management resolved to close the campus until further notice to ensure safety and security,” Jacobs revealed.

Ultimately, the students have called on the institution to scrap historic debt and allow returning students to register for free. At this time, no progress has been made in negotiations between university management and SAUS.

The students’ union revealed that it would be issuing a statement on its directive soon.