The South African Students Congress (Sasco) has called for a national shutdown of all institutions of higher learning on Monday. The nationwide shutdown of universities was triggered by the student protest against financial exclusion. This protest started in Braamfontein campus of the University of Witwatersrand last week.
This is part of the student’s ongoing protest over financial exclusion and the registration for all first-year studentswhile the government is still sorting out the funding challenges. Sasco President Bamanye Matiwane told Gauteng News that it’s all-systems-go for the national shutdown.
“As from tomorrow Monday, we have delegated all our soldiers to the ground. They have a responsibility to close all campuses.
He demanded that all the historic debt of the students tobe scrapped, and registration to continues for the current year
“The demands are clear; no student must pay any registration money. NSFAS must give students their allowances. The government must clear all student debt. We are expecting every campus that is open that it must be closed.”
The national shutdown of all tertiary campuses will be following the Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande failure to respond to their memorandum. The Minister Nzimande was given 5pm on Friday by the South African Union of Students (SAUS).
In the memorandum, they had outlined a list of student’s demands including clearing of historical debt for all students. The memorandum outlined that the registration for all first-year students to be allowed to proceed, while the government is still sorting out the funding challenges.
