The Democratic Alliance Students Organisation (Daso) in KwaZulu-Natal has called on Police Minister Bheki Cele and Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande to intervene and end the ongoing protests at the KwaDlangezwa campus of the University of Zululand (UniZulu).
In a statement on Wednesday, Sthabelo Ntshangase, the Daso councillor in Mhlathuze, said: “The protest is due to the safety concerns at the off-campus residences. They erupted following an incident last week where students were robbed at one of the residences. Laptops, cellphones, and clothes were stolen.”
Ntshangase added that there had also been reports that female students were allegedly sexually assaulted during the robberies.
“Concerns over off-campus safety have been an ongoing issue for years now without any remedial solutions from the university management.
“Since 2019, there have been similar protests regarding the safety of students who live in off-campus residences. Following a strike [by the students], the university management promised to address the issue of safety, but to date, nothing has been implemented, causing grave frustration among the students.
“Even more concerning is the fact that there is no police station nearby or police visibility, although this area is a hotspot for robberies.”
Ntshangase confirmed that the university has issued a notice to shut the doors of KwaDlangezwa campus, adding that his organisation condemned the destruction of university property.
“It is in this regard that we call on ministers Blade Nzimande and Bheki Cele to urgently intervene as the university management has failed us.
“We will continue to fight for the safety of students and to ensure that they can continue with their studies in a conducive environment.”
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