South African Union of Students (SAUS) has called on higher education to create a single coordinated education system to deal with police brutality occurring on campuses.
On Friday, SAUS president Yandisa Ndzoyiya made a presentation to higher education portfolio committee about police brutality on campuses which he said was one of the elements that perpetuate student protests and bring about violence.
“The union is of the view that university management does little to nothing in responding to student issues outside employing military services such as SAPS, private security and ground wedge drivers. There is a need to create space for student leaders and management to have constructive engagement,” Ndzoyiya said.
He said officers deployed on campus are sent with instructions to target certain leaders and universities run away from discussions through these violent acts.
“More than 800 students were arrested only in 2017. The damage caused at universities and training colleges by the Fees Must Fall protests has soared to nearly R800-million. The union disagrees with any damaging of property, even throwing the smallest tone to any property should not be celebrated,” he said.
He said the victories of the previous generation are a launch pad for the coming generations and that lack of constructive engagement and police brutality creates violent protests. Some criminal elements come from the struggles being infiltrated by outsiders.
As a way forward, the union said higher education should increase constructive engagements between student leaders and university management.
“Universities must do away with deployment of police and security forces. The department should introduce decisive policies to deal with any act of property destruction. They should also do away with institutional autonomy to allow government to mediate between the stakeholders,” he said.
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