Unisa workers have joined the campus strike. However, their demands have nothing to do with the plight of the students. Workers from the University of South Africa (Unisa) have dealt the institution a blow by launching a wage strike in the midst of ongoing student protests.
Unisa troubles double: Workers demand a wage increase
Unisa could not have expected the 2020 registration process to kick off like this. Students have not been able to register for the academic year ahead due to ongoing protests by activists of the Fees Must Fall movement.
The contingent of protesters has managed to greatly affect registration and orientation proceedings at the campus in Durban. On Monday, large groups of protesters gathered at the campus, in Durban, to disrupt all activities.
At the top of their list of demands, the students want their historic debt wiped out so they can proceed with registration. It is believed that the students also want prerequisites for campus accommodation to be revised.
While their engagements with Unisa have not yielded any progress, their plight has been worsened by the workers’ wage protests. According to reports from EWN, Unisa lecturers and administrative staff members are demanding a 9% increase in wages across the board.
Early negotiations with the institution have not progressed well. Unisa, desperately prioritizing the cries of the workers, made a counteroffer of 6% but, as we understand it, this has been thoroughly rejected.
For the students, the wage strike feels less like comradery and more like a downright hijack. Leader of Unisa’s student representative council (SRC), Lungile Nhlenyama, lambasted the workers for being selfish.
They are striking for a salary increase. Their concern is money, not what’s best for the students,” he said.
Eerie calm returns to UKZN after riots
On the other side of town, the order has returned to the University of KwaZulu-Natal after tensions boiled on Wednesday morning. Police are in search of a group of rioters who are responsible for the torching of the Howard College campus’ Risk Management Services building.
The university was able to reopen registration in the wake of the unrest. A heavy police presence has kept the rioters at bay, for now. However, with no clear progress in negotiations, the confrontation is far from over.
In other news – Bonang Matheba indirectly wishes AKA a happy Birthday – Picture
Did Bonang just indirectly wished her ex, AKA a Happy Birthday? Well, let us not rush things or completely jump into conclusions over what happens in the social media streets. Rapper AKA just turned 32 years and a lot of nice birthday wishes from fans, friends, and friends have been pouring.
Among his friends or colleagues, came out the Big Dawg aka DJ Fresh who also wished him a happy birthday through Twitter. continue reading
Source: The South African
