Student leaders at the University of Swaziland
(UNISWA) have been suspended without specific charges being laid following a
class boycott over unpaid allowances.
A total of 25 students have been suspended including
Student Representative Council (SRC) President Sakhile Ndzimandze and three SRC Cabinet members.
UNISWA announced the suspensions after two of its
campuses reopened following a two-week shutdown. All the suspended students
have been banned from entering university premises.
The students received a letter from UNISWA Acting
Vice-Chancellor Prof M.D. Dlamini stating they had been suspended from the university
with immediate effect pending investigation.
The Swaziland National Union of Students (SNUS) Secretary
General Nqubeko Maziya in
a statement said,
‘In a very weird fashion, unheard of in
disciplinary procedures and absolutely contrary to law of nature, the
Acting Vice-Chancellor has suspended the students without any specific
charges but
with only an assertion that they are suspected to have violated some
provisions
of the regulation for student’s discipline.’
SNUS stated that universities and colleges in
Swaziland often suspended
student activists. Maziya said, ‘In the main, the
management targets vocal leaders with clarity on students’ issues so that they
are not embarrassed in negotiations.’
The Communist
Party of Swaziland (CPS) in a statement said the suspensions and ban from
university premises violated students’ rights to free assembly.
Students have been protesting about unpaid allowances
which have now been paid. They are also asking for a review of allowances,
scholarships to be available for all who qualify and they want to be
allowed to take part in decision-making.
See also
STUDENT
PROTEST LEADERS SUSPENDED
STUDENTS MARCH ON GOVERNMENT
POLICE ‘FIRED LIVE BULLETS AT PROTEST’
https://swazimedia.blogspot.co.uk/2018/02/police-fired-live-bullets-at-protest.html
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