Port Elizabeth - Nelson Mandela University has given in to some of the immediate demands made by students who protested at various campuses on Monday.
The university came to a standstill on Monday when African National Congress-aligned student group, the SA Students Congress (SASCO) protested at various entrances at the Summerstrand and Missionvale campuses.
Issues related to fees, debt relief, student evictions, outsourced staff and overall transformation at the university.
The unexpected protest led to a disrupted reopening of NMU after the winter holidays and follows last year’s #FeesMustFall protests that crippled universities across the country.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the university said that examination results would be made available to all students, including those whose fees were in arrears.
In addition, deserving students whose families could not contribute to their tertiary education, would be allowed to register for the second semester.
NMU said that it was still working to address other issues.
“The University is confident that the various outstanding student issues can be resolved as discussions are ongoing. Its main concern at present lies with the unprotected strike, since the safety and security of staff and students remains paramount.
“It is presently engaged with unions and worker representatives to resolve these issues.
“The NMMU Council made a decision in November 2015 to reintegrate its outsourced workers for ethical reasons. We have pursued this course in good faith, ensuring that our new employees are better off than they were before joining us,” the statement read.
NMU said that it was not in favour of postponing examinations yet again and that around 4 200 students were expected to sit for exams on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon.
African News Agency