TUT student boycott continues

Johannesburg - Classes would not resume at the Tshwane University of Technology as scheduled by the institution's management, TUT's suspended SRC said on Tuesday.

The university had said it expected students back in classes on Wednesday following several days of violent strike action.

Secretary General of the Student Representative Council, Signified Tivana said that would not happen as the management had not yet resolved the students' issues. "There won't be any classes tomorrow. It is a lie from a pit of hell that students will return to class," he said.

"Whoever comes to the campus will be there to join the strike.

"Students will only go back to classes once the management addresses the students' concerns and readmits SRC members that were suspended," Tivana said.

TUT announced on Monday that it had served the SRC with suspension letters on Sunday.

University spokesperson, Willa de Ruyter said the suspensions would be for the remainder of the term.

Academic activities were disrupted at the institution's Ga-Rankuwa and Pretoria campuses last week.

Student were protesting against the lack of funds in the National Student Financial Aid Scheme.

De Ruyter on Monday said they were concerned about time wasted as the end of the academic year drew closer.

Police to blame

Tivana said the SRC shared the same concerns.

He claimed that a recovery plan was necessary and students were prepared to lose their September holidays to ensure that all their modules were completed ahead of the exams. "We are prepared to push the semester to December if we can," he said.

Tivana said some students were continuing with their studies with the assistance of tutors.

Meanwhile, several students were injured when they clashed with police on Tuesday, said Tivana.

"Five students were badly injured and are hospitalised after they were shot with rubber bullets. One of them was said to have been shot with a real bullet," said Tivana.

He claimed that many others suffered minor injuries.

The students took to the streets after learning that the SRC had been suspended, said Tivana.

"The students were carrying sticks and bricks but they never threw them. They never provoked the police," he said.

The core of the unrest stemmed from the fact that management was not willing to engage with the students, said Tivana.

"We do apologise for any inconvenience caused by this strike," he said.

De Ruyter and the police were not immediately available to comment on the matter.