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Nine students arrested following violent protests at NMMU

African News Agency (ANA)

The Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) SRC is planning to hold a mass meeting outside City Hall on Monday.

The university has been on a shutdown since Tuesday last week. Also, nine students have been arrested following protests which turned violent.

The students are facing charges which relate to public violence, contravention of the national roads act and obstructing police officials in the execution of their duties.

The students, six females and three males, were released on bail last week.

The meeting on Monday is expected to address challenges students face around the fight for free tertiary education.

However, students from the #FeesMustFall movement, an apolitical organisation, have reportedly called for the exclusion of members of Daso, the Democratic Alliance’s students organisation, from the group as well as the resignation of SRC members.

NMMU Spokesperson, Zandile Mbabela, said that the university had last week received different petitions from various student formations.

“Management is working through the various demands to provide a response to students by Monday. Despite management’s best efforts to resume operations on Monday, they were met with resistance from the students, who are determined to continue their protest action in favour of free higher education.

“Depending on the students’ response, and based on NMMU’s assessment of the situation on the ground, the University may be compelled to implement drastic measures going forward, including possibly suspending lectures until we can guarantee the safety of all our students and staff,” said Mbabela.

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