Update: No student is deregistered for not paying fees [15:30]
- Wits University
Statement from Senior Executive Team: Police asked to intervene and arrest individual for criminal acts.
The Wits Senior Executive Team condemns the behaviour of the approximately 150 individuals who disrupted lectures and started a fire on the Braamfontein campus today, some of whom are neither Wits staff members, nor students.
The University has instructed the police to intervene and to arrest the individuals for their criminal behaviour and for contravening a court order that was granted earlier this year. These are criminal acts and the University will deal with this matter decisively using all means at its disposal.
Suspension orders have been issued to members of the group who are Wits staff members or students and barring orders have been put in place for all non-Wits members.
We have strengthened security and secured all lecture venues and entrance and exit points. All activities of the University continue as usual.
We believe that today’s protest is a politically orchestrated campaign with larger national objectives. The individuals who addressed the student groups today were from Wits, other universities in Gauteng, the Western and Eastern Cape and some political parties. They are calling for free education now.
The Wits SRC is not involved in the protest.
Student fees
The University has proactively established systems to ensure that NO STUDENT IS DEREGISTERED FOR NOT PAYING FEES provided that they enter into a payment plan with the University.
We will keep students, staff, the media and the public updated on developments via email, www.wits.ac.za and @WitsUniversity and www.facebook.com/witsuniversity
Students and staff should report any incidents to Campus Control in person or via telephone at (011) 717-4444 or (011) 717-6666.