Students go on rampage at Univen

Date: 25 July 2003 By: Ndivhuwo Musetha

The problem started last week, the week of re-opening, when the finance department refused to issue the results of the students, unless they paid 65% of their outstanding fees. The students said they did not have the required money, while adding that they were promised full bursaries for their studies when the University recruited them.

The Vice-Principal of the Univen, Professor Dovhani Thakhathi, said in an interview on SABC radio last week that they were appealing to students and parents to pay the required 65% in order to help the university meet its financial needs.

Thakhathi also added that the students should go to their classes, while the university will be engaged in discussions with parents and business people to help support the institution. Many of the students, who were supposed to register for semester courses, became frustrated. The situation started to build up on Monday afternoon, after Professor Gessler Muxe Nkondo failed to address the students as they had requested.

Despite appeals from their leader, Rudzani Mushweu, protesting students went on the rampage. They blocked the main gate and damaged it, as well police vans and cars belonging to ordinary people.

There was drama at the Univen main gate on Monday evening, as police tried to get into the campus, while students were throwing stones and blocking the roads, shouting that they did not want the police on the campus.

At the time of going to press, 58 students had been arrested and they were still to appear in court. They will, according to the police, all be charged with public violence. Several students sustained injuries while they were running away from the police, who trapped them inside the campus that is fenced off by a long, strong fence.

Univen is experiencing this problem hardly a year after it won the battle of remaining independent and not being merged with Medunsa and University of the North.

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Ndivhuwo Musetha

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