Students and management at the North West University’s (NWU) Mafikeng campus were meeting the provincial education minister on Wednesday to resolve a dispute over unpaid student fees.
”The NWU is meeting with the MEC [provincial minister] Johannes Tselapedi to try and come to an amicable solution and bring the protests to a halt,” said university spokesperson Phumzile Mmope.
Following student protests on Tuesday and Wednesday morning, during which seven students were arrested, the campus was calm, she said.
”The toyi-toying has come to a halt. Everybody’s awaiting the outcome of the meeting. Rubble and burnt tyres are still at the entrance [of the campus],” Mmope said.
Students, led by the South African Students Congress (Sasco) and the African National Congress Youth League, were protesting the exclusion of some students over unpaid fees.
The seven were arrested on Wednesday morning after contravening a court interdict preventing them from holding meetings, protesting, burning tyres or barricading the campus entrance.
”They were making it difficult for workers and others to get inside,” police spokesperson Inspector Emmanuel Reetsang said.
The NWU served the interdict on students late on Tuesday morning.
The seven are currently applying for bail in the Mafikeng Magistrate’s Court.
Reetsang said one staff member was slightly injured during the protests. Police on Wednesday fired rubber bullets to disperse the students.
Provincial Sasco chairperson Mothusi Tsineng could not be reached for comment.
”I cannot even say when everything will return to normal,” university spokesperson Sam Motabogi said earlier on Wednesday. — Sapa