Barely two days after the installation of Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe as chancellor of the University of Venda, activities on campus came to a standstill when law students started striking over the suspension of a lecturer, who is said to be selling courses for sex and cash.

Several students are said to have bought their degrees by acceding to demands for sexual favours by the lecturer, whose name is known to Mirror. It is also alleged that others passed after paying an amount of R2 000.

While students were still engaging management to solve the suspension, other issues developed. First there was a power cut on most parts of the campus that left many students losing their monthly supplies of groceries; the cafeteria was not operating and there was no food for students. Others resorted to cooking by using open fires while those who still had some money had to buy food outside campus.

This made the students very angry, accusing the management of dragging its feet and not being prepared to solve the problem.

On entering the campus, one could have been fooled that one was entering a warzone or a no-go area, with many of the roads on campus having been barricaded.

The main guard room at the gate was pelted with stones and glasses were shattered and the tables in the cafeteria were broken and were turned upside down.

Staff at the cafeteria assembled at the back entrance of the cafeteria and were all in a sombre mood, pondering as to what would become of them and their jobs.

Much damage had been done the night before and a bakkie belonging to the cafeteria was burnt down.

On Thursday, the students tried unsuccessfully to close and barricade entrances to the university as a way of bringing their problem to the attention of management of the university. Police intervened and calm was restored, but the worst was to come.

Students who seemed possessed went on the rampage on Thursday evening, wreaking havoc and leaving a trail of destruction in their wake.

The actions of the students were met with mixed feelings.

Avhasei Maiyana, SRA secretary, said the actions by the students were uncalled for. “Students know the channels of addressing their grievances. We do not have to go to these extremes to solve our problems; we have peaceful ways of doing it,” he said. He said the grievances of the students were genuine, but some of them were currently being addressed by the university.

He said the destruction of property was done by a small group of faceless people who operated in the dark because they knew what they were doing was wrong. “So many innocent people who were not even involved in the damage have been arrested. They are missing out on classes, which is their core business here at university,” he said.

He said electricity cuts had become part of life for South Africa and the university was no exception.

“How could we destroy property that was bought by our money when we could still share with those who have it in their residences until the problem is solved? Let us change our behaviour and think constructively,” he said.

Ndivhuho Muthivhi of Sasco said mass action and strikes were the only language the management could understand. “Students are hungry and have no money. Those who had food in their fridges have nothing left as it is rotten and the university will not compensate them. People have to use open fires. The campus is not cleared of bushes and snakes roam the whole campus. Showers are dirty and toilets blocked and residences now resemble a pigsty. Please help us and resolve our problems, so that we resume our normal academic activities,” he pleaded with the management.

At the time of going to press, it was not known whether electricity had been restored on campus and it was reported that 44 students had been arrested for public violence.

University spokesperson Mr Takalani Dzaga said his institution would maintain its open-door policy and urged all who had problems to help address them in a sober way. Dzaga said they had already appointed a new company for catering at the university after complaints of bad food by the students.

“We are hopeful that students will soon be getting the best food,” he said.

He said they were busy restoring power and fixing cables, which were allegedly destroyed by contractors who were renovating the stadium. He said they were working around the clock in order to restore power on campus and that they had managed to buy four extra generators to boost the flow of electricity. “We are quite happy that we managed to locate the damaged cable, which will make it possible for us to restore power.”

He said it is true that they have suspended a lecturer on the basis of allegations levelled against him by students. “This does not mean that he is guilty. He remains innocent until proven guilty and will appear at a duly constituted disciplinary enquiry,” he said.