Univen campus quiet after week of turmoil

The situation at the University of Venda is back to normal. This follows after a week of turmoil during which angry students barricaded the entrance to the campus and prevented staff and management from going to work.

The students were angered by the death of a fellow-student who was waiting for an ambulance at the campus clinic last week Monday. The student apparently fell sick, but had to wait for a long time for an ambulance to take her to the local hospital. From what could be established there was only one paramedic on duty and he had to take another sick student to the hospital.

News of her death spread like wildfire on campus and ignited the fury of the students who gathered at the main gate on Tuesday. They allegedly demanded that the emergency services on campus be improved and blamed it for the student’s death. The situation remained tense the whole day.

The university became a no-go area, with the main road leading to the main gate being barricaded by huge rocks and other big objects.

Late on Tuesday afternoon, the management tried in vain to address the angry students. Some student leaders wanted to hand over a memorandum of their grievances to the management.

A journalist from Limpopo Mirror, Elmon Tshikhudo, became a casualty of the protest when angry students wrestled his camera and notebook from him and destroyed them. It was not clear why the students vented their anger on a member of the media. The journalist was also manhandled and pelted with stones. Tshikhudo was later whisked away to safety by some concerned members of the community.

Attempts to get comments from the SRC president, Uhuru Mofokeng, were unsuccessful.

Mirror visited the campus on Monday to asses the situation. Classes were continuing and students said they were happy to be back. "We have lost plenty schooling time and we do not even know if we will be able to catch up with the lectures, but it was for a worthy cause, " said Muvhusi Lumadi, an environmental sciences student.

Univen spokesperson Mr Takalani Dzaga said they had held several meetings with the leadership of the students. "We have agreed with the leadership of the students that we have to beef up our emergency services."

Thohoyandou police spokesperson Constable Avhafarei Tshiovhe said they had opened an inquest in respect of the dead student. She said they were monitoring the situation and that it was under control.

Tshikhudo has since laid charges with the police.

News - Date: 11 April 2014

Elmon Tshikhudo

Elmon Tshikhudo started off as a photographer. He developed an interest in writing and started submitting articles to local as well as national publications. He became part of the Limpopo Mirror family in 2005 and was a permanent part of the news team until 2019.

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