Johannesburg – Wits University says virtual classes were running smoothly on Tuesday and it said registrations for the 2021 academic year have been completed.
The university said there was no protest taking place at the institution after a fiery start to the academic year when students embarked on protests, calling for financially excluded students to be allowed to register.
The running battles between police and students saw a 35-year-old bystander, Mthokozisi Ntumba, shot dead, allegedly by a police rubber bullet after he found himself in the line of fire after leaving a medical centre in Braamfontein.
Several students were also arrested and scores of students were shot with rubber bullets during the clashes which mostly played out in the streets of Johannesburg.
Wits University spokesperson Shirona Patel said classes at the university had commenced three weeks ago and were going smoothly. She said the university had also completed the registration process for the academic year and said students who qualified and met the criteria for the Wits Hardship Fund, had been duly registered.
“The academic programme continues online and we are in our third week of teaching. There are no protests or disruptions on campus.
“Wits has registered 100% of its students and registration closed last Friday. All students who meet the qualifying criteria of the Wits Hardship Fund have been registered” said Patel.
Last week, student political formations – along with the South African Union of Students, called for a national shutdown as students attempted to reignite calls for free education.
Earlier, Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande called for an end to the shutdown of universities by students saying the year was already lost.
He told MPs on Tuesday that with the possibility of a third wave the academic year was facing serious problems and urged students to stop the shutdown.
“We are quite anxious that the shutdown must be called off as soon as possible because we are worried that the academic year is already short and let’s make use of all the opportunities on all sides. The sooner we start with the academic year the better,” he said.
He said the third wave could also cause more disruption to the academic year.
“I am glad that some universities have settled like UWC and a few others and Wits is close to settling because the sooner we start the academic year the better. More so also because with the prospect of the third wave which may even delay us even further,” said Nzimande.
IOL