Varsity wants cops to go

2003-11-18 12:35

Mafikeng - The management of the University of North West agreed on Tuesday to ask police to leave the campus following student protests on Monday, a spokesperson said.

At the same meeting, the student representative council (SRC) undertook to maintain order and discipline among its constituency in the context of an interdict preventing the students from barricading the university's entrances, Sam Motabogi said.

"They also committed themselves to continue discussions with management to resolve the problems amicably."

Students have been protesting since last week, claiming they had been excluded from preparatory talks for the merger with Potchefstroom University.

On Monday, police fired teargas and rubber bullets after students barricaded the main entrance. Four students were wounded and eight were arrested. Four of them were later released, police said.

The campus was subsequently closed for student activities.

Staff returned to work on Tuesday, Motabogi said.

He said the management and heads of department would meet later in the day to determine a time for when the examinations could be rescheduled.

In a radio interview, vice-chancellor Ngoato Takalo said the announcement about the reopening of the university for students could only be made once the issue of the rescheduled examinations had been resolved.

- SAPA