NWU shuts Mahikeng campus due to violence, intimidation
North-West University has asked students at its Mahikeng campus to vacate the premises following several incidents of intimidation and violence.
The violence and intimidation is linked to a list of 15 demands made by the South African Union of Students (SAUS) to the Department of Higher Education.
The union warned that failure to meet the demands, which include a debt relief fund for students and allowing students with historical debt to register, would result in them shutting down campuses.
North-West University vice-chancellor Dan Kgwadi says they cannot guarantee the safety of students on campus.
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"There were some criminal elements that developed on campus because of lack of security and lack of staff on campus. The shutdown to them meant no staff goes on campus, no security, then these criminal elements started showing.
"In the interest of safety of our students, we then decided because there are no classes and the registration process is completely halted. There is no activity taking place, we better just close the campus and have students go home where they can be safe.”
Kgwadi says the institution was especially concern about the safety of first year students.
"Right now I just received a call from a parent because of a child who is being kept hostage. We have announced that the university is closed, as you can go home. As she tries to go home then they kept her hostage in her room but the security has attended to that.
"There's many such elements that are developing, so it is best in the interest of our children.”
Kgwadi says the campus will be closed indefinitely.