Students told to leave after Medunsa closes

Johannesburg - Students at Medunsa in Ga-Rankuwa were ordered to vacate the premises on Wednesday following a decision to close the institution.

"[The] university’s Vice Chancellor Professor Mahlo Mokgalong, in consultation with the executive management committee, decided to close Medunsa and dissolve the campus SRC [Students Representative Council]," said spokesperson Kgalema Mohuba in a statement.

This meant the academic programme was suspended indefinitely.

He said the decision was informed by the stubborn behaviour of both the SRC and student community.

The university management would take full responsibility for SRC affairs.

"Therefore, the dissolved campus SRC would not have any legitimacy to represent the students."

Mohuba said the university had patiently accommodated the students in an attempt to find a resolution to their list of demands.

"Unfortunately, the SRC displayed to be negligent of the laws of the country. Hence they resorted to anarchy and blatant criminality including the act of arson."

In numerous meetings the SRC had showed no intentions of ending their strike.

Mohuba said students had been protesting for about two weeks and had submitted a list of demands to the university management.

"We responded to them a couple of times. As we respond their demands keep increasing."

On Thursday, there were reports that students had set a car and the main gate alight at the campus.