The mass action started on Monday and continued through to Wednesday
under the supervision of South African police law enforcement officers.
The protesters, many of them carrying placards and wearing SA Students'
Congress T-shirts, accused Fort Hare of being in collaboration with
property owners in driving up rent increases in students' residences.
This is despite the unreasonable fee increment that they claim they were not consulted about.
Nursing students, in particular, were the most affected as they had
their accommodation fees increased by 100 per cent. Last year, they
were paying R9,000 and this year it is R18,000 per annum.
The SRC also raised concern about the late processing of funds for
Zimbabwean students who, in most instances, end up stranded when the
semester closes and resort to squatting whilst awaiting disbursement of
funds.
Criticism and complaints have dogged the scholarship programme over the
years; especially in the manner the government selects beneficiaries.
Complaints of favouritism and nepotism have rocked the once efficient
programme whose intention was to support underprivileged students.
The programme has of late become a Zanu (PF) project meant to buy loyalty and votes.
President Robert Mugabe initiated the scholarship and has since
established similar programmes with the universities of Rhodes, KwaZulu
Natal, Witwatersrand, Cape Peninsula, and Walter Sisulu.
President Robert Mugabe is a former student at the university.
University spokesperson Mncedi Mgwigwi said Fort Hare provided students
with accommodation through a number of lease agreements with property
owners around the city.
The students stay four each in a single room and are required to pay R1,300 a month each.
This week, the students handed over a memorandum to the
vice-chancellor, Dr Mvuyo Tom, which included demands that a health
inspector be appointed to assess the condition of the residences with
immediate effect; fee increment negotiations should be started from
scratch as the SRC was not consulted, and students should be allowed to
register with R1,500, as agreed in the last SRC and management meeting.