Two expelled students "get second chance"

18 Apr 2013

An Eastern Cape medical student, expelled from an exchange programme between South Africa and Cuba, has been given a second chance and will return to Cuba to complete her degree, the Dispatch Online reported on Wednesday (17 April)

Image: GCIS

Lindani Magade was among 12 medical students expelled from the programme over their strike action earlier this year. Last week, another student, from KwaZulu-Natal, was also allowed to return.

These two were part of a group of 12 students expelled from Cuba after they went on strike, demanding better meals and a 300% increase in their R1,600-a-month stipend.

According to the Dispatch Online, Eastern Cape health MEC Sicelo Gqobana has said there would be no change to the stipend and that the students were expected to behave themselves when they returned.

Gqobana said Magade had been mistaken for a KwaZulu-Natal student who had led the strike.

This was realised after Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi had a one-on-one meeting with the students.

"After the students returned from Cuba we were instructed not to communicate with them because they had embarrassed the whole country," Gqobana said.

"However, the minister had a meeting with one of the students from Limpopo and after that he decided to have meetings individually with all of them to hear what they had to say," he said.

Motsoaledi reportedly negotiated with Cuban officials to allow some of the expelled students back into the country to complete their degrees.

Source: Sapa via I-Net Bridge

Source: I-Net Bridge

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