Jabulile Mbatha18 February 2025 | 4:50

Wits in discussion with SRC to find solution for unregistered students on hunger strike

Students are calling on the university to allow them to register despite their historic debt.

Wits in discussion with SRC to find solution for unregistered students on hunger strike

A handful of Wits university students with historical debt have gone on a hunger strike. Picture facebook.com/Wits University

JOHANNESBURG - University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) said it was in discussions with the Student Representative Council (SRC) to find a solution for unregistered students who have been on a hunger strike for five days.  

Students are calling on the university to allow them to register despite their historic debt.  

The university said that only 5% of students who qualified to study were unregistered.  

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It said that each year it administered R1.8 billion in financial aid, bursaries, and scholarships.  

Despite this, it was still working with the SRC to ensure that it could get more donations to place the remaining students.

This is while the university's debt stands at over R500 million.

Wits University spokesperson, Shirona Patel, said that allowing students with historic debt to register would only increase their own debt.

"The university is in the meanwhile working with student leaders within the SRC who met with the vice-chancellor today to fundraise for as many academically talented students as we can and to try to find as much funding to support those in need as far as our resources allow."

She said the vice-chancellor had committed to resolving the issue by engaging the SRC members.