DURBAN - Classes were suspended at the University of Zululand in Ongoye as students allegedly set alight a police vehicle during a protest over meal allowances not paid out.
Irate students brought academic activities to a halt at the university on Thursday morning, complaining that they had not been paid their meal allowances.
The meal allowances are paid out by the university from NSFAS funds. They were previously paid into a Fundi Card - which allowed students to purchase items on or off campus.
After students complained of certain limitations when it comes to the card, the university is now paying the allowances straight into students bank accounts.
According to SRC Secretary General Mduduzi Mnqayi paying the allowances into student bank accounts involved a lot of administration.
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“The environment at the university is not normal on the basis that students want their meal allowance money and the university says these will be paid by midnight,” he said.
He said while some students had this allowance paid into their account at the weekend after another protest last week, the meal allowance was for the month of February and not all students got it.
“This allowance is meant to be paid at the beginning of each month”.
When asked about lectures on campus today Mnqayi said he hadn’t been informed of any disruptions with lectures and the university hadn’t sent out an official statement suspending academic activities.
However, The Independent On Saturday has learnt from a reliable source that Mnqayi and the SRC president were not on campus and hadn’t spoken to students regarding the protest on Thursday.
“They are nowhere to be seen. The only student leadership who bothered to be here is the ANCYL, YCL, EFF Student Command, SADESMO. The SRC’s treasury general is the only one that bothered to be here”.
The source with ties to the SRC said meal allowances were the primary reason for the protest and there have been no classes today at the university as a result of the strike.
Police spokesperson Thulani Zwane said more than ten students were arrested for allegedly setting alight a building on the campus as well as two police vehicles.
"Mtunzini police and Public Order Police are at the scene to calm the ruthless crowd. Those arrested will be charged for public violence. They will appear in court soon".
The university was sent an email regarding the protest in the morning and no response has been received yet.
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A police vehicle was set on fire during protests at the University of Zululand. Video: Supplied