29 January 2014

Fresher and Returning Students
Midlands and Durban Centres
Durban University of Technology

Dear Students

The events of the last week deeply sadden me. The University tried very hard to protect your rights and its own rights to a good start to the 2014 academic year but this was frustrated by an SRC that led a set of activities that turned violent and destructive. I shall hold the SRC responsible for this.

The demands of the SRC that are at the heart of these activities have either already been addressed or cannot be addressed by the University. The government and the NSFAS have decided that it will not provide financial aid for those who are studying towards Bachelor of Technology degrees. There is nothing that the University can do about this.

Our challenge now is to return the University to a state of peace, to reestablish conditions that are conducive to academic learning and teaching.

The only way that we can achieve this is to shut down the University and to reopen it in a controlled, orderly way.

We shall be communicating with you through a number of channels during this period. Please be sure to check your DUT4Life email accounts regularly. This will be our official channel of communication regarding information about the reopening of the University.

I am fully aware of just how difficult this is for many of you, especially those of you who have already moved into the residences. And I apologise to you and your families on behalf of the University.

We shall have a complete year of studies.

Yours sincerely
Ahmed C Bawa (Professor)
Vice-Chancellor and Principal