The school’s student representative council (MSRC) wants management to hand over the R1.4 million KPMG forensic report into bribery and corruption allegations.

It has been calling for the report since the arrest of three suspects linked to the selling of sought-after places at the institution in May.

They also want management to intervene in the decentralisation programme, saying it compromised the quality of their training.

MSRC president Nkosinathi Ndebele said UKZN must come clean about the report and questioned why it was hiding it.

“They said nearly two months ago they would give it to us, but where is it? We will continue strike action until we get this report. Medical school has come to a standstill. We will meet on Monday to see if our demands will be met.”

With regard to the decentralisation programme, the council said sending students to peripheral sites, where there aren’t enough consultants and registrars, would not result in a high level of training.

They are against the programme and believed management was pushing the programme to accommodate the influx of Cuban students, who they have been told are to join the medical school.

Voices

In an e-mail sent to all medical school students, the council said: “Some issues have been raised for a number of months and the MSRC felt that the only way for our voices to be heard is to go on strike. Let our voices be heard. United we stand, divided we fall. We have sent our grievances to management and await their response. When we revolt, it’s not for a particular culture. We revolt because, for many reasons, we can no longer breathe.”

UKZN spokesperson Normah Zondo confirmed that management had received a memorandum of grievances from the MSRC on Friday.

“Management has been engaging with student leadership to address these matters. A meeting has been arranged for Monday with student leadership to discuss matters raised in the memorandum.”

She said the programme was part of the policy of the National Department of Health and is aligned with objectives of enhancing the training of all graduates. Zondo assured the SRC would be consulted prior to implementation.

“The students’ request for the report has been under consideration and as a result a decision was reached that the chairperson of council would share the contents with the MSRC following a special meeting scheduled for August.”

Zondo said UKZN continued to co-operate with the Hawks and the National Prosecuting Authority to ensure those implicated in the investigation on fraudulent enrolments are brought to book.

“It’s expected those involved will be removed before the admissions process for the 2018 academic year begins. Management respects students’ rights to protest but is equally concerned about the loss of valuable teaching and learning time as a result.”

The Durban University of Technology embarked on a strike this week over issues relating to the National Student Financial Aid Scheme.

nabeelah.shaikh@inl.co.za