Wits students meet to map way forward over tuition fees hike

African News Agency (ANA)

Wits students meet to map way forward over tuition fees hike
Students protest at Wits University in protest at looming fee increases and threaten to shut down the institution.

Students at the Witwatersrand University were on Monday evening preparing to hold a mass meeting to discuss a way forward regarding the 2017 tuition fees hike.

Police and campus security had earlier closed all entrances to the meeting venue, the Solomon Mahlangu House, as students continued to bar vehicles from accessing or leaving the Braamfontein campus.

The students were allowed in after a brief negotiation led by Student Representative Council (SRC) leaders. The angry students broke down one of the doors at the venue during scuffles with security and police.

Students at the institution halted lectures and prevented vehicles from entering or leaving the campus on Monday, following Higher Education and Training Minister Blade Nzimande’s announcement on 2017 fees hike. They demanded a moratorium on fees until free higher education was implemented. Nzimande said it was up to the universities to determine their fee increment which would, however, be capped at eight percent.

Police had been stationed at all the campus entrances and kept an eye on the protesting students.

The university said academic programmes would continue at the campus, despite protest by students.

The institution said it respected the rights of those who wanted to protest, provided they did not infringe on the rights of those who wanted to attend lectures. The university urged staff and students to report any disruptions to campus security.

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SOURCEAfrican News Agency (ANA)