Earlier last week, Rhodes VC, Dr Sizwe Mabizela left a meeting with Rhodes students about their fees grievances to intervene in the stand-off between Eastcape Midlands College students and their management.
Earlier last week, Rhodes VC, Dr Sizwe Mabizela left a meeting with Rhodes students about their fees grievances to intervene in the stand-off between Eastcape Midlands College students and their management.
Students had been on strike for the past five weeks over non-payment of their National Student Financial Aid Scheme grants for living expenses.
Rhodes students joined the EMC students’ protest on Monday and both groups tried to force their way through the main gate. Grahamstown police fired three stun grenades to disperse the protesters, according to Colonel Monray Nel.
The Rhodes vice-chancellor Dr Sizwe Mabizela, arrived but was not allowed into the premises.
He and the Rhodes students had agreed at their meeting to fully support the College students. At a meeting the next day, around 70 EMC students met with their management at the City Hall and agreed to return to classes The students’ main grievance was that the institution had failed to pay over a portion of the students’ bursaries, which they needed to pay for accommodation.
The meeting was attended by the management of the institution, student leaders, representatives of the South African National Civic Organisation and officials from Makana Municipality.
South African Student Congress regional deputy chairperson Mpumelelo Makeleni described the agreement as an achievement, because the management had eventually signed the document containing their demands. “The students who are owed by the institution will be paid, possibly before the end of October,” said Makeleni.
“All students will write their exams and nobody will be liable for any damages that occurred during the strike. “That is what we agreed on with the management. “If there is any lecturer that makes remarks to students about the strike, that student must immediately report that.
That would be a breach of the memorandum of understanding that has been signed,” said Makeleni. The students said there are people who have been given a task to monitor the situation and ensure that what had been agreed on would be implemented.
In the memorandum it is stated that any student who behaves in a way that contradicts the agreements signed in the document will held liable and accountable for their actions. Students and staff will also receive a workshop on the National Student Financial Aid Scheme policies, in an effort to bridge misunderstandings between the parties.
The matter of students who didn’t get accommodation money due to them would also be investigated and a report-back provided after the investigation.
They thanked Rhodes students for their support and vowed to continue supporting them in their protest action.
