Students at the Witwatersrand University (Wits) have vowed to continue fighting for their cause despite their Student Representative Council (SRC) president's suspension. The university issued a statement on Monday announcing Aphiwe Mnyamana's suspension. This is after he failed to appear before a disciplinary committee on Monday afternoon.

NOT ALLOWED ON CAMPUS

The university said that Mnyamana faces serious charges and is barred from accessing the university. "The allegations against Mnyamana are of a serious nature and relate to conduct that infringed on the rights of others, resulted in damage to property, and the intimidation of members of the university community, amongst other things. Mnyamana will not be allowed to access any Wits precincts, participate in university activities or stay in a Wits residence until the legal process is finalised,"said Wits in a statement. 

LEGAL REPRESENTATION

After threatening to burn their Vice-Chancellor's home on Sunday evening, students said they would seek legal advice from Mabuza Attorneys, a law firm led by Advocate Dali Mpofu on how to tackle their issues with the institution after some of their leaders were threatened with suspensions. Mnyamana said, " As the SRC, we had lengthy consultations with our legal team, Mabuza Attorneys, led by the representation of advocate Dali Mpofu. The SRC is thus committed to protecting all student leaders implicated in the university's intimidation efforts through the law firm, which the university claimed not to have been legal action against the SRC, which is deemed in the same breath as all other propaganda narratives that have been continuously spread by the university's senior executive team," Mnyamana said.

STUDENT PROTEST

Wits students have been protesting for almost a week. On Sunday, they took their strike further by going to Vice-chancellor Zeblon Vilakazi's house to stage a sit-in. The university also said that some of the students threatened to burn down Vilakazi's home. The students are demanding the university to allow those owing R150 000 or less to register, give those with no accommodation at least 1000 beds.