Fort Hare to face mass action

2003-02-16 20:28

Grahamstown - Students at the University of Fort Hare will embark on a campaign of "rolling mass action" from Monday in an attempt to force management to reverse a decision to exclude several hundred students on financial and other grounds.

The head of Fort Hare's Student Representative Council, Bishop Fezi, vowed on Sunday that students would take action until management met their demands.

These included that registration be extended and that all students excluded on financial or academic grounds be admitted.

But university Vice-Chancellor Professor Derrick Swartz warned that the university would not be held to ransom by a "group of militant unregistered students" who might seek to use "force to render the institution ungovernable."

"This behaviour, in a democratic South Africa, clearly cannot be countenanced. To do so, will drive us right back to the doldrums from where the university was pulled in 1999."

He assured students and staff that they would be protected.

Swartz said the institution had "bent backwards" to assist students.

Fee increases had been frozen for five years, making its fees among the lowest in the country.

It had also secured R5m additional funds from the Eastern Cape Government for financial aid to the most needy over and above the National Student Financial Aids Scheme grant of R12m in 2002."

We have even gone as far as deferring payment of up to 50% of debt for students owing R4 000 or less so ensuring an additional 2000 students were able to register this year."

The university had also provisionally registered students not able to pay the R1 500 registration fee.

"We suggest, the merits of our case, speaks for itself," he said.

Subsidy set to drop

The university's subsidy for 2003 was set to drop by R20m for 2003.

"This, together with current student debt standing at R18m, effectively leaves us with a shortfall of nearly R40m, in addition to the R50m overdraft on which the institution is dependent.

"To expect Fort Hare, in addition to the above concessions, to swamp the institution with more students, is highly irresponsible. If we allow this, the university will descend into financial ruin and self-destruction."

Campaign 'hypocritical'

Swartz pointed out that the present campaign was "especially hypocritical" because the SRC had been part of the decision made by Council last year on fee payment terms.

"To now campaign against this agreement is, frankly speaking, disingenuous and smacks of lack of any moral leadership."

University 'financially fragile'

SRC secretary Mzukisi Makatse said on Sunday that the campaign had the support of the entire student body, not just unregistered students.

He said that while the university might be financially fragile, it should not reduce its student numbers by excluding returning students.

"All we want from the vice-chancellor and management is to come down and discuss these demands with us. Their current manner of responding to us is not acceptable."

Swartz said a meeting was scheduled with the group for Monday morning.

- SAPA