MUT untouched by #FeesMustFall protests

Published Oct 25, 2016

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Durban - The Mangosuthu University of Technology, which has been free of protest for two years during the national #FeesMustFall crisis, said engaging with parents and students was the key to stability at the university.

MUT spokeswoman, Mbali Mkhize, was addressing a press conference in Durban on Monday where she proudly described the university as the “one university where students remain in class”.

She said their “survival” during the protests was thanks to their engagement with students, parents, academics and the private sector.

“There is a stakeholder engagement policy at MUT where we engage with parents at the start of every year,” she said.

Mkhize said a gathering linked to the “State of the University Address” allowed parents to see and hear for themselves the challenges facing the university.

She said the university used this approach rather than relying on more hi-tech means of communications, which were beyond many of the parents.

Mkhize said the university council had yet to pronounce on whether fees would increase for the 2017 academic year.

She said the newly elected students representative council would resume negotiations with management on the issue at a later stage.

Zama Sishi, the director for stakeholder relations, said they relied on funding from the private sector for 25% of their students.

She said on their first alumni funding drive in August, R400 000 had been pledged to help fund studies.

Mkhize said 60% of their students were funded by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme.

Sishi said the university was due to complete final examinations and supplementary examinations by the end of next month and students were expected to receive their results by December.

Daily News

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