The gates to Tshwane University of Technology’s Ga-Rankuwa campus were blockaded on Tuesday morning by about 1 000 students who used burning tyres to keep out lecturers.
They were protesting against a recently announced 6% fee increase imposed on them to bring the campus into line with the university’s other six campuses, said university spokesperson Willa de Ruyter.
They refused to allow cars on to the premises, but allowed lecturers in on foot. No property or facilities have been vandalised, she said.
No lectures could take place and by mid-morning, all staff had left the premises.
In a similar protest at the campus last year, students trashed lecture halls, setting fire to three of them, burnt tyres and held lecturers hostage.
It was difficult to say whether the same students were involved in Tuesday’s protest, said De Ruyter.
She said the students handed over a memorandum of their grievances to university management on Monday.
They held a mass meeting in the community hall on the campus on Tuesday before dispersing.
Administration and Students’ Representatives Council delegates were scheduled to meet at 2pm to thrash out the issue and other problems.
A detachment of 15 police officers from the crime combating unit — the new name for the former public order police or riot unit — from Odi, near Mabopane, was keeping an eye on the situation, said Marico area spokesperson Captain Elsabe Augoustides, who confirmed that the situation is now calm.
Both parties have promised the police they will try to iron out their differences in ”an amicable way”, she said. — Sapa