BY KEDIBONE MOLAETSI

NORTH West premier Supra Mahumapelo met with the Student Representative Council of the North West University Mafikeng campus on Friday. The meeting was organised following a request by the student leaders. North West premier, Supra Mahumapelo said that the students’ leaders felt it was necessary for him to be briefed on their current struggles in respect of the Fees Must fall campaign.

Mahumapelo said: “The students leaders said that part of their concerns at Mafikeng campus include calling for the university library to be opened for 24 hours. The library currently closes at 22h00 during the week and at 24h00 during weekends. I declared that on behalf of the Bokone Bophirima provincial government, we fully support the removal of all obstacles towards the realisation of accelerated transformation at the North West University.

“The government will engage with stakeholders at the university to ensure the commencement of plans on how transformation will unfold at the North West University.” Mahumapelo said.

The deputy president of the SRC, Peter Nkohla said that while fees increase was at the apex of their campaign, they had many other issues which needed to be resolved including transformation at the North West University.

“The university council wanted to increase fees by 9,5% and it emerged in a meeting we had with them that the minister of higher education had said fee increase must not exceed 6%.” Nkohla said. He said that the SRC felt that the annual fee increase over the years was not commensurate with the level of development at the Mahikeng campus of the North West University.

President Jacob Zuma announced on Saturday that there will be no fees increment for 2016 after he met with student leaders in Union Buildings.

SRC president Xavier Mabengwana met with all three campuses representatives yesterday. He said they will have a total shutdown on Monday.

“We want the North West University council to be disbanded. We want curriculum alignment that is in line with our higher education regulations. The Potchefstroom campus is the only campus that is benefiting. You look at their hostels and the infrastructure they have, you will never find them at other two campuses.

“The council said they want to preserve a culture. We want to understand what culture is that. They only want to preserve Afrikaans language and use it to sideline other black students. We want to see transformation at all campuses. The council only benefits white students and consists of whites only. Their reaction in return make it very difficult for the vice chancellor to do his work properly. We will have a media briefing on Monday,” Mabengwana said.   

-TDN

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