Johannesburg – Chancellors from universities across South Africa on Friday urged all stakeholders to find a solution to the #FeesMustFall movement by students demanding free tertiary education.
“As Chancellors of universities in South Africa, we notice with concern the developments at various universities around the issue of university fees and free education,” former Deputy Chief Justice Dikgang Moseneke said on behalf of chancellors in a statement.
“We urge all stakeholders to find a solution to the issue soonest and, in the meantime, to refrain from violence and damage to property as well as unlawful coercion and violence to any students at various universities. We further urge that everything possible be done to avoid the shutdown of any institution as that would be neither in the interests of students, nor the country.”
University campuses have been rocked by protests since last year as students continue to demand free higher education. An announcement by Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande that fee increases for 2017 would be capped at eight percent brought another wave of protests as students demanded no fee increases until government implemented free higher education.
Lectures have been suspended at most universities as the unrest continued.
Moseneke said the current academic year must be allowed to take its normal course as stakeholders were searching for a lasting solution.
“An acceptable solution can and should be found; a solution which would neither exclude meritorious needy students, nor compromise the quality of the country’s tertiary education,” Moseneke said.
“As a result of the seemingly urgent and worsening situation, we have not been able to contact chancellors of all universities and we apologise for that.”
African News Agency