Campus activities at the Durban University of Technology have been halted due to violent protests with three campuses temporarily closing their doors. Operations have been suspended since Tuesday early this week.
According to the university’s Senior Director of Corporative Affairs, Alan Khan the student demonstrations intensified when a group of unidentified students forced their way into Steve Biko campus Tuesday morning.
He adds that despite campus private security’s best efforts to capture the group, the group managed to divide into two groups, which then proceeded to the campus basement parking area and torched four vehicles that belong to staff members.
Khan adds that the student protests, among other reasons, was spurred by students who were under the impression the university conducts in-person registrations. However, that is not the case.
Over the last two years, registration has moved to be online only and it has been a change from what's the normal custom which is physical on-campus registrations and this year it was online registrations only.
He further states that they are aware of the challenges that students face while registering online. The university has managed to register 23 000 students out of the targeted total 31 000 for 2022 academic through its online registration system.
He adds that someone circulated a misinforming text saying that registrations were being done on campus, which saw thousands of students demanding access to campus.
Students who are currently experiencing challenges with their online registration have been urged to contact the university and make use of all available resources to assist in processing their online registrations. DUT has since been granted a temporary interdict barring students from protesting near any of its campuses.
The university filed the urgent interdict on Wednesday against 21 respondents, including its entire Student Representative Council (SRC) and the EFF Student Command (EFFSC).
