Mukoni T Ratshitanga
Two University of Venda buildings were burnt down this week, causing more than R500 000 worth of damage. The student affairs block was torched during the early hours of Monday morning, while the office of the South African Students’ Congress (Sasco) was destroyed the next day.
A group of Azanian Students’ Congress (Azasco) members held university radio staffers hostage and vandalised a door and equipment. They also looted the university kitchen and attempted to burn down the house of the dean of students. So far, 29 students have been arrested for public violence.
The university has been strife-torn since last year, when students demanded the scrapping of a 13% fee increase. Another demand is that the university re-admit Azasco national president Boiki Tsedu.
Tsedu was excluded on grounds of academic performance after passing only four courses in four years. He was enrolled for a BProc degree of 20 courses.
Azasco is also demanding that each student be given 30 cans of beer for the annual fresher’s ball ceremony. The university has budgeted only R355 000 for the ceremony.
Management this week imposed a curfew between 10pm and 6am. The university is under armed guard.