Nine arrested as SA’s varsity protests spread

JOHANNESBURG/DURBAN/CAPE TOWN. — Nine University of Cape Town students were arrested yesterday morning following a protest against a proposed increase in fees that started on Monday.

Police arrested some of the students who burnt tyres and barricaded entrances as Higher Education and Training Minister Blade Nzimande was expected to hold talks with vice chancellors at higher learning institutions across the country yesterday.

The meeting was supposed to take place between 11:00 and 13:00, with Nzimande expected to address the media later on yesterday in Cape Town.

This followed widespread student protests against fee hikes.

On Monday, Nzimande said he would convene a meeting with a delegation of vice chancellors, university council chairs, students, and workers to find solutions.

Protests yesterday continued at Wits, UCT and Rhodes University.

Classes at the three universities have also been suspended for another day.

UCT protesters had occupied various residences and taken their marches to the streets of the Cape Town suburbs.

Since then, students at Rhodes University, Stellenbosch University and the University of Cape Town have joined the cause, barricading entrances to the universities and bringing activities and lectures to a halt.

University of Fort Hare students joined the protest on Tuesday and University of Pretoria students were expected to join soon.

Wits University Vice Chancellor Adam Habib told News24 he was flying to Cape Town on Monday evening to meet Nzimande and the University of Cape Town (UCT) Vice Chancellor Max Price.

The protests became violent on Monday. At Wits, students overturned a car and police fired stun grenades. UCT management obtained an interdict against students.

Wits University students vowed to continue disrupting teaching until their demands were met.

Meanwhile, exams scheduled to take place at the University of the Witwatersrand medical campus yesterday were cancelled, amid continuing student protests against proposed tuition fee increases next year.

“Logistically it would have been a challenge to change venue,” university spokesperson Shirona Patel told News24.

The exams have been postponed to a later date.

With the main exam period expected to begin in 11 days, Patel said the university needed between a week and 10 days to prepare.

“What we are trying to do is extend the academic programme into the first week of December. If we can’t, we will have to make up for it after hours,” she said.

The students protesting outside the Wits Medical School were expected to march back to the main campus later yesterday to await the outcome of Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande’s meeting with university vice chancellors on the fee protests taking place on campuses around the country, Patel said.

Outside the medical school traffic was being diverted on York Road, allowing only ambulances to enter the school premises.

Parents who work for the university on contract also came out to support the protesting students.

“We are here to support our children; we work for the university on contract. The money they (Wits) want, we can’t afford with the money they pay us, which is R2 700,” said mother Motsatsi Seoka.

Former Wits student representative council president Mcebo Dlamini, who was stripped of his position earlier this year after comparing all white people with Nazi leader Adolf Hitler, told the assembled students the revolution was at the medical school and they had to maintain a complete shutdown.

“We are going to hold our ground until we get what we want,” he said.

But he advised students not to forget to study.

Musician Simphiwe Dana was expected to perform at the main campus later yesterday afternoon in support of the students. — Wires.