/ 21 June 2000

WITS STUDENTS PROTEST WORKER RETRENCHMENTS

UNIVERSITY of the Witwatersrand students are occupying the vice-chancellor’s office in protest against the retrenchment of 623 workers. Members of the Students Representative Council, South African Students Congress, the Postgraduate Students Association and the National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union vowed they would not leave Professor Colin Bundy’s office until their demands are met. The organisations want an end to evictions of students from residences for non-payment and a withdrawal of the decision to downsize the arts and education faculties. The university says the downsizing is being implemented to ensure it keeps pace with domestic, regional and global trends.