Bonile Khanyi
Calm has been restored and it’s back to business after chaos erupted at the University of South Africa (Unisa) in Tshwane.
On Monday morning, South African Students Congress (Sasco) wanted to hand over a list of demands to the university’s management and barricaded the entrances to Unisa’s Sunnyside campus forcing students who came to register to climb over the gates to make their way to registration queues.
Students at the Unisa Sunnyside Campus are now jumping over the gates to gain access to the university in order to register. There have been concerns of a stampede breaking out (@AlexMitchley) pic.twitter.com/9WSs9nbJJX
— Team News24 (@TeamNews24) January 15, 2018
Unisa Spokesperson Martin Ramotshela told Inside Education there appeared to be a scuffle between Sasco and the Economic Freedom Fighters Student Command (EFFSC).
“There seemed to be a power struggle between Sasco and the EFF. One student body would not allow people to enter the campus while another was trying to get students inside campus so they can register,” said Ramotshela.
The EFFSC wanted students to be allowed in to register before the deadline on Friday while SASCO agreed with management to resume tomorrow.
#UnisaProtest: EFF students wing and PYA clash in opinion as they debate to resume registration or commence with process tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/Sjl4SWMqUF
— Neo Motloung (@NeoMotloung_) January 15, 2018
He also said the university had deployed all its executive management to mediate the situation.
Registration has resumed and late applicants can now apply for a course of their choice after the university announced it would re-open applications for the 2018 academic year for first-time entering undergraduate students.
The deadline for late applications is on Friday, January 19.