Molaole Montsho
African News Agency
RUSTENBURG: The Mahikeng campus of the North-West University (NWU) was closed yesterday due to student protests, the university said.
“The campus has been under siege by students since October 21, and management and staff have been locked out of campus,” spokesperson Louis Jacobs said.
“Considerable damage had been done to facilities on campus, which must now be repaired to ensure that examinations can begin on Monday, November 2. A decision has been taken to close the campus with immediate effect. All students will have to vacate the campus by 8am.”
He said management would assess the situation and take the necessary steps to prepare for the commencement of examinations.
The campus has been marred by violence since October 21, when the students joined the nationwide Fees Must Fall campaign.
The South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) in North West appealed to Mahikeng residents to show solidarity with students evicted from the university by offering them accommodation.
“Those who are in a position to accommodate evicted students should do so as their safety has been put at risk by opportunistic crime outside campus residences,” said provincial chairperson Paul Sebegoe.
He urged university management to engage earnestly with issues that students were protesting about to frustrate what he termed a third force, which sought to hijack and redirect the students’ need for genuine transformation towards anarchy and lawlessness.
“The stand-off has to be speedily broken to ensure that whatever effort and investment that has been put into this academic year is not lost.”