More South Africa universities shut as protests rage over fees

A student from the University of the Witwatersrand is detained by South African police forces following clashes during a protest against the university fee increase on September 21, 2016 in Johannesburg, South Africa. PHOTO | AFP

What you need to know:

  • The students are opposed to a fees increase and want a commitment to free education.
  • The affected institutions have beefed up their security with police struggling to contain marauding students.
  • Clashes between students and security personnel on Tuesday left some students injured, while 31 Wits University students were arrested.
  • Students have said they will force authorities to temporarily suspend activities to listen to their grievances.

NATION CORESPONDENT IN PRETORIA

More South African universities have been shut as student protest over a eight per cent fees increase announced by the government earlier this week.

University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) and the University of Cape Town were first to close on September 20 before Free State University and Tshwane University of Technology followed.

The students are opposed to a fees increase and want a commitment to free education.

The Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) announced closure of the institution on Wednesday and Thursday after attempts to negotiate with students failed.

The affected institutions have beefed up their security with police struggling to contain marauding students.

Clashes between students and security personnel on Tuesday left some students injured, while 31 Wits University students were arrested. The 31 are still detained at Johannesburg’s Hillbrow Police Station.

In Durban, the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s Howard College campus is also on alert following violence threats.

Students have said they will force authorities to temporarily suspend activities to listen to their grievances.

Wits, which cancelled all activities for the rest of the week, today said they were identifying perpetrators of violence. Authorities have threatened to take action in line with the university’s regulations.

Higher Education Minister, Blade Nzimande, has condemned the violent student protests.

“It is most disturbing to see such violent protests inflamed by rogue elements after wide consultation was undertaken on the measures announced this week to address the ongoing issue of university fees. Government has heeded the call of students by subsiding fee increase in 2017 to poor, working class and ‘missing middle’ students,” he said in a statement.

Wits University spokesperson, Shirona Patel, said those who destroyed property were in violation of the court order obtained by the institution.

“We’re reviewing the footage to try and find those people who were involved in the violent acts. Similarly, we understand that private security was also involved in the throwing of stones outside the Great Hall on Tuesday. We’re taking up that matter with the security company. It’s unacceptable,” she said.

Meanwhile, the ruling African National Congress (ANC) has thrown its weight behind the education minister amid the protests.

MIDDLE CLASS FAMILIES

The ANC said it supports the announcement by Mr Nzimande that all students from poor, working class and middle class families will not experience any increase in universities fees in the 2017 academic year.

“The decision represents a significant step forward towards the progressive realization of free education for the poor in line with ANC policy positions and the Freedom Charter,” the ANC said.  

The Freedom Charter stipulates that “higher education and technical training shall be opened to all by means of state allowances and scholarships awarded on the basis of merit”.

Mr Nzimande announced on Monday that universities can raise tuition fees, provided that the increases do not exceed eight per cent.

The minister also announced that the government is committed to finding the resources to subsidise children of poor, working and middle class families — those with a household income of no more than 600,000 rand (about 42,000 US dollars) per annum — to protect them from the tuition rise.

“We understand the legitimate student concerns about the affordability of university education. At the same time, we need to ensure that those who can afford to pay must pay,” Mr Nzimande said.

Universities have recommended an 8-percent increase in fees, while students demand zero-percent increase. On Tuesday morning, academic activities at the Wits University almost came to a standstill as students blocked cars from entering the institution and barred students from attending classes.

Police fired stun grenades at the students who responded by pelting the police with stones. Security personnel at the University prevented the students from marching to the administration offices to force Vice Chancellor Adam Habib to address them.

Students threw stones at the security personnel and the offices, breaking some windows. Meanwhile, protests also took place at universities in KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape and Free State provinces.

The University of Cape Town had to suspend classes because of the protest. Tshwane University of Technology in Pretoria was also shut down. Gauteng Provincial Deputy Commissioner Eric Nkuna said the police are constantly disrupted from their core business of fighting crime by the “Fees Must Fall” protests.

South African universities were hit by widespread protests over fee increases last year. According to official figures, the unrest cost more than 145 million rand in damage. The government then suspended fee increases for 2016 and provided universities with billions of rand for the shortfall.

In a statement, NMMU acting vice-chancellor, Dr Sibongile Muthwa, said management’s attempts at engaging with students on Tuesday did not yield much. She confirmed all academic activities at NMMU were suspended for Wednesday and Thursday.

“We do not believe that resuming university operations for the next two days will be a viable option. The decision to close the university for the next two days was not taken lightly and is part of NMMU’s responsibility towards staff and students,” said Dr Muthwa.