The University of the Western Cape’s (UWC) Student Representative Council (SRC) is threatening mass action if its demands for an inclusive registration process are not met.
SRC president Mandla-Onke Notyawa said many students were turned away because they have outstanding debt.
A group of students staged a demonstration on Monday over the registration process at the institution.
The university refuted claims that it imposes a financial block on students who have outstanding fees.
“Even if they don’t call it outright as financial exclusion, many students have been turned away and told they needed to pay either 20% or 30% of the fees that they owe, failure to which they will not be registered,” said Notyawa.
UWC spokesperson, Gasant Abarder, said the university doesn’t have the policy to block students who owe fees.
“The university did allow returning students to register where there have been mitigating circumstances for non-registration, the university doesn’t exclude students on the basis of outstanding fees,” Abarder said.
Meanwhile, the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) law faculty has called on campus management to provide a clear outline of how the current fees protests on campus will be resolved.
The faculty said university management announced on Thursday the return to face-to-face lectures, without an agreement with students to stop the demonstrations.
Campus executive leaders have noted the statement saying they will meet with the department over their grievances.
UCT spokesperson, Elijah Moholola, said management will have to take action against protesters involved in unlawful actions.
“The university management has put in place various measures to address the issues around fee blocks and student accommodation raised as part of this week’s protest action. Among these measures, the UCT management has committed to making R5 million available to assist students with fee blocks on condition that, through fundraising initiatives, the SRC matches this amount,” said Moholola.
He added that management will support the SRC in these fundraising efforts.
