The Rep 13 May 2022

2 Tel: (045) 839-4040 / editorial: mjekulal@therep.co.za / advertising: charodinev@therep.co.za 13 May 2022 THE R E P R ES E N TAT I V E
Ikora gives WSU Friday cutoff
ABONGILE
S O L U N D WA N A
The Independent Komani
Residents Association
(Ikora) says Walter Sisulu
University has until today
(Friday) to respond to their
memorandum of demands to
stop rationalisation from taking
place in Komani.
Failure will take them to the
doorstep of minister of higher
education, Blade Nzimande,
they say.
On Monday, Ikora, joined by
students, protested at WSU in
Grey Street after the university
failed to respond to their
memorandum of
demands which they had
handed over during a peaceful
march on March 8.
The Rep reported, “Group
protest over fears WSU will
close door,” (March 11), that
WSU had come under fire over
its plan to rationalise courses
Association says it will approach minister over rationalisation plan
TAKING A STAND: WSU students protesting along Grey
Street on Monday over the university’s failure to respond to a
memorandum of demands issued to the institution in March
over its rationalisaton plans Picture: ABONGILE SOLUNDWANA
that community members
feared would affect Ko m a n i ’s
e c o n o my.
The community was
also not happy that WSU
took the decision without
consulting them.
During the protest on
Monday, Ikora treasurer, Tina
Nkepu, said they would not
implement a total shutdown as
students needed to continue
with their studies.
“We demand responses to
the petition we submitted in
March. We had given them
seven days,” Nkepu said.
“They came back asking for
an extension of 24 hours which
the students’ r e p r e s e n t a t ive
council agreed to.”
Nkepu said WSU’s
management contacted him to
engage over the phone about
the matter.
“I declined and requested
them to respond in writing as
we had given them our email
addresses.
“After the 24-hour lapse, I
wrote an email to the vicechancellor,
Prof Rushiella
Songca, and the deputy vicechancellor,
Dr Prince Jaca, for
their institutional support to
respond.
“Instead, the vice-chancellor
gave us a YouTube address in
which she said WSU was
consolidating from 12 faculties
to six and that they were now
adding one more, making
s e ve n .”
Nkepu said it was clear the
university was “looking for lowhanging
fruit”, and the
rationalisation was not genuine.
The SRC then called for a
shutdown in Butterworth and
East London campuses, which
started two weeks ago.
“The shutdown propelled
their council chairperson,
advocate Thembeka
Ngcukayitobi, to issue a
statement stating that the
rationalisation programme had
been put on hold.
“It is not what we were
expecting.
“We expected the
programme of rationalisation to
be called off because of its
inhumane nature.
“It will lead to job losses and
it will strip people of their
livelihoods on many platforms.”
Nkepu added that in Chris
Hani District Municipality’s
stakeholders’ engagement,
officials had told them
Nzimande would attend the
Freedom Day memorial lecture,
but justice minister Ronald
Lamola had attended instead.
In the recent engagement,
Nkepu said Ikora did not agree
with the municipality, because
they wanted the faculty of
education to return.
“We said we wanted the
campus to remain intact.
“Some wanted the faculties
of agriculture and logistics
introduced.
“We want the management
sciences faculty we already had
because we have municipalities
that recruit WSU graduates,”
Nkepu said.
BACK TO BASICS
R25m to repair substation after Friday’s fire
CLEANING UP THE MESS: Residents of New Rest went on a
clean-up drive, removing the barricades and washing debris off
the streets after Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality technicians
resolved the area’s electricity problems and switched the lights
back on Thursday Picture: SUPPLIED
PORK CUTLETS / ROAST R 39.99 KG
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R 41.99 KG
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WHOLE/HALF/PIECE
R 44.99 KG
ROSCO BURGER PATTIES R 34.99 KG
DRINK-O-POP 200ML R 7.49 EA
NOLA MAYO 750G
R 26.99 EA
WORCESTER SAUCE 250ML R 19.99 KG
ECONO MACARONI
& SPAGHETTI 500G
R 11.99 EA
ETOSHA BRIQUETTES 4KG R 46.99 EA
SUGAR HULETTS 1KG R 17.99 EA
NAARTJIES 2.5KG R 7.99 EA
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THE RIGHT TO WITHDRAW SPECIALS WITHOUT NOTICE
NOTICE SPECIALS ARE VALID FOR THE
13TH & 14TH OF MAY
The Rep
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PO Box 453, Komani, 5319
045 839 4040 / Fax: 045 839 4059
Chris van Heerden, vanheerdenc@arena.africa
Luvuyo Mjekula, mjekulal@therep.co.za
Charodine Visagie, charodinev@therep.co.za
www.therep.co.za
@RepKomani
ABONGILE SOLUNDWANA
It will cost the Enoch Mgijima
Local Municipality R25m to
repair the western substation
which burned down last Friday,
leaving a number of areas in the
dark.
Municipal manager
Nokuthula Zonda confirmed the
figure at a meeting with
community members in Madeira
Park on Wednesday.
The fire affected the
Komani CBD, Madeira Park,
Kings Park, Amberdale,
Westbourne, New Rest, a part of
Bhede, the army base and
Factory Road areas.
Parts of the CBD, Madeira,
Kings Park, Amberdale and
Westbourne were still without
power at the time of print.
Sandringham was restored on
Wednesday evening, along with
the army base, Factory Road and
New Rest areas and parts of
Komani CBD. The other parts of
the CBD had regained power on
Tuesday evening.
EMLM spokesperson
Lonwabo Kowa told The Rep:
“Most areas have been restored.
The rest of the areas without
power which were affected by
the western substation will be
redirected to alternative power
stations such as Ebden Street.”
The Independents’ Ken Clark
was concerned about the lack of
fencing and security at the
western power station.
On Monday, the New Rest
community protested over
electricity outages. New Rest
residents embarked on a protest
rampage until Wednesday
evening after being without
electricity for seven days, after
the western power station fire.
On Wednesday, during the
protest action, the police had to
work hard to remove burning
tyres and rubble which residents
used to barricade roads.
During the process of
clearing the roads, residents
kept rekindling the fire.
Andile Ganca, the ward
councillor, pleaded with
residents to stop damaging the
tarred roads.
“You are burning the roads
that you will run to the
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DESTRUCTIVE: Police intervene to put out fires and remove rubble during protest action on
Wednesday in New Rest over blackouts Picture: ABONGILE SOLUNDWANA
municipality and complain
a b o u t ,” Ganca said.
One of the residents, Anne
Dekoker, said: “My husband is a
pensioner. In one week I have to
spend R610 on gas and R85 on
paraffin. This is so unfair. I had
to throw out the meat because
we cannot eat rotten food.
“We have been without
power since Thursday. Last night
they said the electricity was
coming on at 8pm, but we are
still waiting. That is why we
decided to burn tyres here.”
Meanwhile, others inquired
from the councillor why Nonesi
Mall had power while residents
in the area were neglected.
“We want the mayor to
PRIMARY SENIORS
come and then we will stop. We
want her to sit with us until the
electricity is back.”
Taxis battled to do business
as usual as rampant New Rest
residents threw stones and
bottles at drivers attempting to
pass through Victoria Road to
drop off passengers.
The police dispersed the
crowd with stun grenades.
Th e Border Kei Chamber of
Business, Black Management
Forum, ratepayers, farmers and
taxi associations, and residents
were set to revise a plan of
action regarding service
delivery, including the power
outages, on Thursday, after The
Rep went to print.
TIE CEREMONY: Thembelihle Primary School conducted a tie
ceremony for its grade 7 pupils with the aim of boosting their
confidence and encouraging them to prioritise their studies. The ties
were handed over to pupils by Anglican St David's Parish Canon Elliot
Masoka. Other guests at the ceremony included the department of
education development officer, Mxolelanisi Mike Gongqa and former
Thembelihle teachers Picture: SUPPLIED