VUT students to continue protest action, while lectures resume at Wits
Expelled SRC President at the Vaal University of Technology, Troy Mathebula, says they will return to the streets today to protest against the suspension of student leaders.
A meeting between student leaders and management at VUT is scheduled for this morning, to discuss the suspension of at least seven members of the student representative council.
"Expelled SRC members can't attend today's meeting because they are the subject matter, but we will have people in that meeting to hear what is being said," Mathebula told Jacaranda FM News.
He says there is only one thing that meeting must deal with - the uplifting of the suspensions so that students and student leaders can go ahead with their call for free higher education.
Last night, students voiced their frustration with the SRC - saying they are being forced to use stones and petrol bombs during their protest action.
"At the end of the day they provoke the students, yet they say the students must take responsibility," he said.
Mathebula says it's unfair to expect a student, who lives in Venda, to vacate the residences at midnight.
"Where must those students go?" Mathebula asked.
He added that when students are pushed to a certain point, they will respond.
"We are not the ones with rubber bullets. We are not the ones with shields," he said.
Meanwhile, two students were arrested at the University of Witwatersrand last night.
Campus security and police had their hands full when they were trying to extinguish fires and fend-off students attempting to break several windows by throwing stones, and causing damage buildings at the university.
Other buildings were flooded, due to protesting students leaving taps open.
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Undeterred by this, Wits spokesperson Sharona Patel said that classes will resume today.
"All university activities go ahead this morning. We are aware of several incidents overnight but they were dealt with," Patel said.