Lectures scheduled to resume at the University of Pretoria’s Mamelodi campus have been suspended, university management announced on Thursday.
”The cancellation of classes follows the assurance by several student groups that classes would resume on Thursday as normal. However, things have not turned out so,” said Mamelodi campus director Edwin Smith.
Smith said management had to suspend academic programmes until further notice, following continued protests on Thursday.
Students have been boycotting classes over the last week since the announcement by management that the campus would be closed and turned into a community centre to accommodate the Mamelodi community.
”The management of the university is still committed to resolving issues such as academic and financial exclusion, fee increments and the permanent closure of the campus, brought forward by the students,” Smith said.
During Thursday’s demonstrations windows were broken when students threw stones at campus management. No injuries were reported, said police spokesperson Inspector Paul Ramoloko.
Ramoloko said that individuals who engaged in these activities will be identified, and cases of malicious damage to property had been opened.
Pan Africanist Student Movement of Azania national spokesperson Mametlwe Sebei said on Thursday that students will not stop boycotting classes until their concerns were addressed. — Sapa