Walter Sisulu University (WSU) in East London yesterday (Monday 25 January) closed its Butterworth Campus due to, what it described as, a volatile situation.
Walter Sisulu University (WSU) in East London yesterday (Monday 25 January) closed its Butterworth Campus due to, what it described as, a volatile situation.
The campus, including its residences, was evacuated by 12 noon and it was announced that it would remain closed until further notice.
The University had recently made a public appeal via a communiqué circulated throughout the University community on 20 January, for normalization of University operations at the Butterworth Campus following an unsuccessful attempt to constitute an SRC.
That appeal was followed by another attempt to constitute an SRC for the campus on Friday 22 January which also failed.
The WSU statement yesterday went on: "The situation at Butterworth campus has further deteriorated and compelled WSU management to close the campus following an unstable environment that has seen University property being destroyed and the traffic at the public national road (N2) being blocked – actions that pose serious risks to the safety and lives of all students and staff at this campus.
The disruptive elements chased away staff from the Campus and broke into and vandalized some of the residences. Butterworth Campus has now been brought to a standstill, with access to this Campus blocked."
WSU says that these events have had "serious implications for this Campus", including supplementary exams not being concluded, thus endangering the academic lives of those students who haven't yet written their exams.
Furthermore, "Potential new students, with good and attractive results, are pushed and driven away to other institutions; student enrollment targets are not met, with huge financial penalties for the institution; student numbers decline and dwindle, imposing serious limitations and constraints on the viability and sustainability of this Campus.
Butterworth Campus is a public and national asset and facility for the provision of accessible and affordable quality higher education to the youth of the disadvantaged communities which Walter Sisulu University proudly serves.
Barricading access, closing the gates, chasing away staff effectively closes the doors of learning at this site."
The University also pointed out that security services, together with the support of the South African Police Service, "in the interest of safety of lives, University and public property" would assist with compliance with the closure and that it would be held responsible for the safety of any student remaining on campus after midday yesterday.
