The University of Witwatersrand (Wits) student protest over accommodation cap and financial exclusion entered its second day on Thursday and students vowed to shut the Braamfontein campus until their demands are met.

FINANCIAL EXCLUSION

The protests started on Wednesday morning with hundreds of students sitting at the campus's main gate complaining about financial exclusion, historical debt, and lack of funding for some students. The university has denounced the student's actions as "unlawful" and shifted lectures to online until further notice. According to a number of twitter posts from the Student Representative Council (SRC), the students are fighting for the financial exclusion of NSFAS allowances and lack of accommodation at their campus. The SRC says disadvantaged students are expected to pay an upfront fee of R10,000 for accommodation. They also claimed that some students are homeless and sleeping in libraries and the university is chasing them out but fails to provide them with accommodation. The students also demand that those who has historic debt be allowed to register for the 2023 academic year.

WORKING WITH SRC

In a statement that was released by Wits management, the management the said: "Management has been working with the SRC over the past few weeks to help secure funding, largely from the private sector, to enable academically deserving students to access higher education. In fact, up until last Tuesday night officials were in contact with the SRC trying to get as many qualifying students to register as possible. It, therefore, comes as a surprise that despite these arrangements and the working relationship which has been established, some members of the SRC and some students have elected to protest."

UNIVERSITY COMMITTED 

The university said it committed R28 million (increased from R10 million) to the Wits Hardship [Fund] this year, and that to date, more than 500 students had been funded at a cost of R18.1 million. It added that an additional 350 beds had been secured from accredited private accommodation service providers to assist students in need, including those sleeping in libraries and other spaces. "A number of other concessions have also been made, including allowing students who owe R10 000 or less to register, allowing students whose total household income is below R600 000 to apply for registration assistance by paying 50% of the outstanding debt due and by making an arrangement to pay the balance of the debt during the course of the academic year, and allowing students who owe R15 000 or less to graduate," the university said.

THREATS

In a response to the statement of the management, student representative council president Aphiwe Mnyamana was quoted saying that the management must prepare for the worst if their demands are not met as he addressed protesters at the main campus in Braamfontein, Johannesburg on Thursday. "This institution will be ungovernable up until students are able to register, up until the university absorbs the balance. We will not stop up until these demands are met," he said. The university said that the Campus Protection Services (CPS) and members at the institution have received complaints of intimidation and damage to property, which are being investigated. "CPS is also reviewing video footage and other evidence, which will be used to charge and/or suspend perpetrators, in line with the University's rules, policies and procedures," the university said in a statement.