Pretoria - Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) students shut down their campuses on Monday, joining their colleagues in other parts of South Africa demanding free higher education.
“There are several reports in the past, some from independent institutions which speak about the feasibility of free education. According to those reports, free education in South Africa is more than feasible,” said Tshepang Makgatlha, a member of the Economic Freedom Fighters Student Command.
“Free education is so feasible in this country to the extent that it can be implemented tomorrow. What the Minister of Higher Education [Blade Nzimande] has been telling the nation regarding university fees is actually misleading.”
On Monday morning, tyres were burning at the main campus of the TUT. Numerous police officers were monitoring the situation as hundreds of students were leaving the campus.
Some students who fully supported the campaign for free education however had concerns about the damage being done by the current protests to the South African higher education sector.
“I worry everyday about this situation. Are we ever going to graduate with all these disturbances? Will my qualification be valuable in the eyes of the employers? We do need free education but we also need to get back to class,” said one TUT student who preferred anonymity.
The protesting students also barricaded other TUT entrances at campuses including Arcadia, Soshanguve and GaRankuwa.
“In the interest of the safety of staff, students and TUT property, activities at these campuses were suspended for the day. The situation will be monitored and an update issued in the course of the day,” TUT management said in a statement to the media.
Across town, the University of Pretoria was also forced to close down its doors on Monday.
“In the interest of the safety of students, staff and property, university management has decided to move the October 2016 recess period forward. The recess will therefore start on [Monday] 26 September 2016. The University will reopen on 10 October 2016 as planned for the start of the fourth quarter,” said a statement release by UP Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Prof Cheryl de la Rey.
“Students living in residences are requested to leave the residences during this period. Should some students have special requests, they should feel free to discuss these with their respective residence managers.”
Protests erupted at several universities across South Africa after Nzimande announced last week that tertiary education institutions across South Africa are permitted to individually determine the level of fee increases that their institutions will require for the 2017 academic year.
African News Agency