PRETORIA: More than 20 students who were part of the #FeesMustFall protests at the University of Pretoria have submitted letters explaining why they should be allowed to re-register for the 2017 academic year.
The university had blocked certain activists, who face criminal charges, from registering for this year unless they provided letters motivating why they should be accepted back. The university also wanted written assurances that the students would not be involved in disrupting the institution in 2017.
Several students from the university were arrested during last year’s fees protests on charges ranging from inciting public violence to destruction of property.
University spokesperson Candice Jooste said the majority of students who submitted the letters had already been allowed to register.
“More than 20 students either made submissions to the university or personally engaged with the university management. This is not a punitive process and the university will continue to accept submissions and engage with students,” she said.
The deadline for the response from students was yesterday.
Jooste said they hadn’t witnessed any disruptions even after the initial deadline.
South Africa Union for Students’ general secretary Sthembiso Ndlovu said they will only shut down the university if the implicated students are not allowed to register. “We are waiting until registration closes. If those students are not registered we will definitely shut down the University of Pretoria,” he said.