Africa-Press – South-Africa. The Vaal University of Technology (VUT) in Vereeniging was shut down until further notice on Thursday after some buildings at the institution were set alight on Wednesday afternoon.
Some students gathered outside the institution to inquire about their allowances, saying they had nothing to do with Wednesday’s events.
The protests is said to centre around an issue with NSFAS allowances and the funding of student accommodation.
According a second-year student staying on campus, the protest started at around 20:00.
A VUT staff member, who wanted to remain anonymous, told News24 students burnt the toilets inside the institute.
She said:
Staff and students were told to go home because of the ongoing shutdown.
Some of the students were frustrated by the shutdown as they had to submit assignments and write exams.
VUT management condemned the damage to infrastructure and requested students to evacuate the campus residence.
The university said in a statement: “Staff should work from home until advised to return back to campus when it is considered safe to do so.
“Students living in university residence are instructed to vacate the residence by lasted 17:00 today [9 June 2022]. No students or visitors will be allowed on campus.”
Management added it had laid criminal charges following the disruption and damage to infrastructure.
“An internal investigation has been initiated and stern disciplinary action will be taken against perpetrators. Criminal charges will be laid against those found responsible for the damage caused to university infrastructure.”
An SRC member told News24 the issue with the university was between staff and students.
“The students I am here with are affected by the services offered by their landlords at the accommodation that they are staying. I don’t understand why they have not been accredited as yet.”
According to the SRC, close to 400 students living in Vanderbijlpark have not had water, electricity and Wi-Fi for the last six months.
“There are people in the management that love seeing students suffer, students are struggling and NSFAS is not doing anything.
“We don’t know what happened with the infrastructure, we just gathered here to inquire and students have been told to leave today [Thursday],” it said.
According to a recent statement by the National Student Movement, the issue of private accommodation had not been attended to.
“Students living in private accommodations have to face landlords who are in need of rent and the institution and its SRC are yet to formally address this issue.”
It is also calling on the institution to recognise it as a formal student organisation.
“We can safely and confidently say we met all the requirements to be recognised as a new student movement by the institution.”
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