Pretoria – Tertiary institutions across the city have echoed Higher Education Minister Blaze Nzimande’s assurances and confirmed they are prepared for the 2017 academic year.
They say they are ready to welcome students back on to campuses as the academic year begins next week.
The focus will not be on threats of protests over fees and language policies, the universities say.
Nzimande said last week that the department was ready to embark on the new year.
“There have been important engagements which imbued me with confidence about the prospects for higher education this year, amid early suggestions that many of the challenges which affected our sector in 2016 – including fees and student accommodation – are being addressed substantially."
Nzimande’s assurances follow massive turbulence in higher education last year and the year before, with students across the country protesting against the high cost of tuition.
They demanded free, quality, decolonised education. The protests forced many universities to suspend academic activities and caused damage running into millions of rand.
Private security and the police were often called to intervene in violent situations that saw students arrested.
Nzimande stressed the need to avoid protests. He instructed universities, among them the University of Pretoria, to deal decisively with troublemakers.
University of Pretoria (UP) spokesperson Candice Jooste said it was difficult to predict if there would be protests this year. “But we have put the necessary measures in place to ensure the 2017 academic year will proceed as planned."
Jooste said the institution would work closely with students, staff, campus security and, if necessary, the police to protect the academic project which was at the centre of the university's mission.
She didn’t disclose the exact plan of action but said they were well prepared.
Despite her assurances, the threat of a shutdown at the university looms.
Students arrested for last year’s fee protests have warned of mass demonstrations for being asked to motivate for re-registration this year.
More than 40 students were asked to write letters giving reasons why they should be allowed to resume studies.
SA Union of Students (Saus) member Sthembiso Ndlovu said: “We’ll take the fight head on with UP."
Students were being victimised, the union said, vowing to bring the institution to a standstill if it persisted with the demand for motivation for re-registration.
Unisa also said it was ready for this year. Spokesperson Martin Ramotshela said: “We’re hoping there won’t be any more protests, but equally so we have prepared ourselves from an operational and security point of view."
Workers affiliated to the National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) have been protesting at Unisa since last week.
They want a 10% salary increase. Negotiations between unions and management deadlocked when the workers were offered a 6% hike.
The unionists vowed to bring all university activities to a halt until they received the money.
Ramotshela said they were working tirelessly to resolve the issue before the end of registrations next week.
“Our registrations are online, which minimises the threat of people being turned away or harmed while queuing."
He said the university was covering some ground on insourcing of workers after being plagued with protests and providing employees with benefits last year.
Ramotshela confirmed that Unisa was going ahead with the fee increase as suggested by the Department of Higher Education: “We don’t know how this will sit with the #FeesMustFall protesters and whether the protests will continue, but plans are in place to deal with them should they arise.”
The Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) also said it had a comprehensive plan to deal with protests if they broke out.
“We are hoping this year runs smoothly and that academic activities are not disrupted,” spokesperson Willa de Ruyter said.
She said deputy vice-chancellor Professor Stanley Mukhola had been engaging with student representatives and leaders.
They held frequent meetings at Soshanguve campus to ensure a better working relationship.
“Soshanguve campus is infamous for demonstrating so it’s important to engage with them,” said De Ruyter.
In addition, Professor Lourens van Staden had been highly involved in the #FeesMustFall commission set up by the Higher Education Minister, and students had showed confidence in him.
De Ruyter too said is was difficult to predict protests in 2017.
But adequate measures were in place to be exercised should protests arise.
Technical Vocation Education and Training (TVET) colleges in the city also had their fair share of protests and recently faced the threat of a massive countrywide shutdown.
The Tshwane North and South colleges were closed last week, with students protesting over unqualified lecturers, inadequate funding from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme, lack of accommodation and poor living conditions.
TVET colleges have been punted as the better alternative for high school leavers, most of whom had aimed for university but had failed to qualify.
They remained steadily on course during the #FeesMustFall protests, but have threatened mass action if their needs are not met.