Reopening of crippled NWU ‘still uncertain’

Management at North West University says it is still uncertain about the academic future of registered students after the destructive protests.

The university’s vice-rector, Professor Mashudu Davhana-Maselesele, said she could not tell when academic activities would resume as important build ings were torched.

“As I’m standing here, I do not have an office, the administrator does not have an office, so it would
be irresponsible to estimate a day or month [for reopening],” said Davhana-Maselesele.

She said it was uncertain when facilities would be ready again. The protesting students burnt the science building and part of the administration building on Wednesday.

Davhana-Maselesele said management had done its part in assisting students with financial demands prior to the protest, but some students and political leaders were out to push their own agendas.

Davhana-Maselesele said most protesters “were hooligans who are out to see the shutdown of the university”.

The university had communicated to students that it was making plans to cover the historic debts of some students by approaching sponsors, but these communications were ignored by protesters, she said.
The university categorised students according to their results, where they come from and their
financial situation. “We were trying our best to help,” Davhana-Maselesele said.

The vice-rector rubbished the dissolved Student Representative Council’s claims that the university elected a leadership that sided with management. “We dissolved that SRC because it was dysfunctional and we elected a leadership that would promote academic progress and negotiation regarding historic debts,” she said.

In the meantime, students have been sent home.

 

Citizen