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Nqobile Tshili Chronicle Reporter
NATIONAL University of Science and Technology (Nust) Vice-Chancellor, Professor Lindela Ndlovu was yesterday forced to address disgruntled students who demonstrated in front of his office calling for an end to a long-running lecturers’ strike. It was the second successive day that the students protested against the university management demanding to be addressed by Prof Ndlovu.
Lecturers have not been teaching post-graduate and parallel students for almost a month complaining over the non-payment of their dues for the part-time classes.
Prof Ndlovu came from his office around 2PM escorted by police officers and told the students “the issue was complicated.”
“It might be ideal that we resume lectures today but there are processes that need to be followed. We are going to be having a meeting with the lecturers today in the afternoon and tomorrow (today) we are going to the Labour Court.”
He said the matter was being handled by the courts through arbitration.
Prof Ndlovu said most students owed the university a lot of money in unpaid fees.
“Some of you even spend the whole semester without paying fees.
“They are stealing as they are getting a service which they never paid for,” he said.
Prof Ndlovu said the university was going to address some of the students’ concerns after resolving the strike issue.
Students had complained that the strike was not only affecting parallel and post-graduate students but also those in the conventional
classes and feared the development could lead to the extension of the semester.
Before Prof Ndlovu’s arrival students sang and chanted slogans denouncing management for failing to handle the impasse.
“We demand an explanation from the ‘vice-criminal.’ We have been quiet for too long. We want to know where the money went,” shouted one of the students.
For about two hours commotion reigned at the institution as the Prof Ndlovu was nowhere to be seen.
Zimbabwe Congress of Students Union (Zicosu) president Farai Mteliso demanded the university addresses their concerns immediately.
The students are set to write their examinations next month but there are reports that they could be delayed across the board given the disruption caused by the lecturers’ strike.
Online Reporter