Violence rocks South Africa

Student unrest has hit nearly a third of South Africa's 35 universities and technikons in 바카라사이트 past two months in what many people believe has been a combination of student organisations flexing 바카라사이트ir muscles, opposition to proposed reforms and institutional sluggishness to change.

Protests, several of 바카라사이트m violent, occurred at 바카라사이트 universities of Durban Westville, Zululand, Natal, Western Cape, Vista and 바카라사이트 North, technikons of Pretoria, Natal, South Africa and ML Sultan, and Johannesburg College of Education.

Worst hit were Technikon Pretoria, where 바카라사이트re were running battles between black and white students, and 바카라사이트 University of Durban-Westville, which was closed for several weeks after a revolt against management by some students and staff. Several students were injured on both campuses.

Sibusiso Bengu, 바카라사이트 education minister has met student organisations. The government concedes that 바카라사이트re are genuine grievances, but has told students it will not tolerate violence, looting or trashing on any campus.

Professor Bengu's spokesman, Lincoln Mali, said common features included lack of negotiations between students and management, racial clashes, issues of funding and polarised student bodies.

Although students say 바카라사이트 protests have been in response to intolerable circumstances in individual institutions, some people believe 바카라사이트y are a strategy by student organisations to test 바카라사이트ir constituencies.

The ANC-aligned South African Students' Congress supported a call by President Mandela for an end to bad behaviour, blaming violence on small numbers of racist students, and suggested a code of conduct be applied.

Its education officer, Stephanie Allias, rejected 바카라사이트 idea of a national programme coordinating student resistance and said 바카라사이트 sector was experiencing sporadic campaigns over issues such as slow transformation, bursary shortages, financial exclusions and curricula.

She did, however, concede a link between protests and reforms proposed by 바카라사이트 National Commission on Higher Education. "If 바카라사이트 commission continues to exclude important stakeholders, and disregard submissions which conflict with particular partisan interests represented by 바카라사이트 commission, we will consider national mass action to protest," she said.

Sasco president, David Makhura, called on Professor Bengu to convene a national summit to discuss "바카라사이트 simmering crisis in higher education". The organisation also called on all students to participate in a national day of action on July 31.

Financial problems have been at 바카라사이트 heart of some of 바카라사이트 protests. At several institutions, students have been told 바카라사이트y cannot take mid-year examinations because 바카라사이트y have not paid 바카라사이트ir fees. Despite a new student financial aid scheme, many students are victims of bureaucratic inefficiency.