Photo: Wits University SRC / Twitter
Photo: Wits University SRC / Twitter
Students at Wits University (University of Witwatersrand) have taken to the streets on Wednesday morning, and clashes between protesting groups and police have been reported on campus.
Why Wits University students are protesting
The trouble has erupted following a tumultuous start to the week. Footage of students who had been forced to sleep in a library at the facility solicited an angry response from fellow classmates. A number of learners are gatvol with the lack of accomodation provided by the university.
In a week where students are having to revise for a round of upcoming tests, teenagers with nowhere to stay have had to crash in public spaces, as a way to keep their studies going. The situation has spilled over onto nearby roads and public spaces, as Wits’ youngsters take the fight to the authorities.
Watch the Wits University protests here:
accommodation is a real issue. #wits pic.twitter.com/zeRRX5EWWJ
— N. (@n_etsane) March 4, 2020
AVOID WITS UNIVERSITY : EMPIRE RD GATE. STUDENTS PROTESTING. pic.twitter.com/zoufuFJExz
— REZA (@crimeairnetwork) March 4, 2020
We have inherited a broken system. The University has money to militarize the institution but cannot make beds available for students. @MYANC @WitsUniversity FIX THIS! pic.twitter.com/LqA6DGsdVz
— Wits SRC (@Wits_SRC) March 4, 2020
SRC explain their reasons for protesting
Speaking from their Twitter account, the Wits University Student Representative Council claimed that protests were their last resort, blasting senior structures at the institution for “spending more money on militarisation.”
“When we resort to other measures, we do so because we’ve exhausted all other engagements. A storm is coming. It cannot be that students are subjected to inhumane conditions. Our students will be accommodated. The University has money to militarise the institution but can’t give beds to students.”
Wits University SRC
The protests also caused the following disruptions on Wednesday:
- Empire Road in Auckland Park saw the bulk of the demonstrations, with traffic held-up in the area.
- Yale Road had also been blockaded during the unrest.
- Visiting the university itself should only be done if its a necessity during this volatile time.
