Students vent as Mafikeng dust settles

Dead air on the North-West University’s campus radio serves as a stark reminder that the Mafikeng Campus is a no-go area for students.

Walking through the campus, you are greeted by the smoke-blackened walls of the main administration block, which resembles a ghost town. The only forms of life are the patrolling security guards.

Students have been sent home for at least the next month to allow time for the fire-damaged infrastructure to be repaired, and to allow stability to return.

SA Students’ Congress (Sasco) chairperson Karabo Kau is opposed to the campus closure and describes the management’s decision as “a delaying tactic”.

“They know we will return with not much time to concentrate on unresolved issues because midyear exams are already around the corner. Our plea with management is that they engage with us and iron out outstanding issues while academic activities are suspended, but this has fallen on deaf ears,” said Kau.

“We also suggested that students be taken to other campuses, but this has been refused by management, which cited capacity challenges. Now, innocent students are bearing the brunt after their parents have struggled to secure funds for their studies.”

This is the aftermath of a week of violent protests, which were sparked by the disruption of an inauguration ceremony of an interim Students’ Representative Council (SRC) by a group of students who were unhappy with the disbanding of the old SRC. The SRC was dissolved soon after its president, Linda Mabengwane, was suspended – allegedly for disrupting student registration processes and assaulting a fellow student in January.

Prince Motaung, the current SRC president, said about 3 000 returning students had not yet registered for this academic year because they could not afford the fees.

“We support the battle against financial exclusion and have not abandoned those affected just because classes have been suspended,” said Motaung.

Frustrated students have taken to social media to vent and are calling for the university to reopen. Hundreds of Twitter and Facebook posts are condemning the decision to suspend academic activities when none of the academic buildings – including the library, lecture rooms, laboratories and residences – was damaged.