South Africa
GroundUp: Wits to run poll – Should the university reopen?
As Wits University announces a poll to gauge support for student protests, the campus’s SRC president threatens to make the country ungovernable if students’ demands for free education are not met. By Benita Enoch for GROUNDUP.
First published by GroundUp
Wits University is expected to run a poll later this week to “gauge the thoughts of staff and students” on whether the academic year should resume as planned.
In an e-mail sent to staff, the university’s senior executive team claimed that “hundreds of emails” have been received calling for studies to continue.
The e-mail states: “If the majority of students and staff support the reopening on Monday, the university will call upon government and the police to meet their obligations to protect the university’s property and to safeguard the lives of students and staff.”
The e-mail, issued on Monday afternoon, states that the Independent Electoral Commission would be called upon to verify the results of the poll.
Members of the public were also invited to be included in the poll and to send anonymous submissions to [email protected].
“Wits’ stability is important in the context of the broader higher education system. We cannot lose the academic year and we appeal to the university community and wider society to make your voices heard on this key issue of national importance that impacts on our collective futures.”
This week, Wits University SRC president Kefentse Mkhari warned that students would make the country ungovernable, if their calls for free education are not granted by government.
Meanwhile, the protests might have claimed their first victim. Wits University said in a statement that one of its service providers was affected by the contents of a fire extinguisher which was released in the Jubilee Hall of Residence. The worker was treated, taken to hospital and discharged before passing away.
Wits is closed until 10 October. DM
Photo: An injured student is helped by other students during last week’s protests at Wits University. Photo: Ihsaan Haffejee