Wits students clash with police and guards as protest continues

The protest by Wits University students continued for the second day on Thursday, with some students clashing with police officers and security guards.

The protest is over some students not being able to register for the 2023 academic year and not getting places in the university’s residences.

Wits students cause chaos

On Tuesday morning, the institution’s main entrance on Empire Road was blocked. JMPD officers had to be called to disperse the protesting students.

Protesting students blocked empire road this morning in a continuation of the protest for all deserving students to be registered and the removal of the @myNSFAS R45000 accommodation funding cap among other demands. pic.twitter.com/zG6O9ZJSy0

— Mpho Hlakudi 🌐 (@mphohlakudi_) March 2, 2023

The students, however, moved onto the campus and gathered outside the university’s Great Hall building. Other students disrupted lectures and forced non-protesting students to leave the buildings.

Security guards and police officers prevented the students from entering the Great Hall.

The commotion outside the Wits campus even led to businesses closing shop.

A restaurant owner in Braamfontein even used fire extinguishers to to prevent students from entering his business. They reportedly demanded that he close his restaurant.

ALSO READ: Is NSFAS sustainable? More needs to be done to help poor university students

Watch: Wits students protest

#WitsShutdown: Protesting students are still on the ground calling for students with historical debt to be registered and for the scrapping of accommodation allowance caps. Protest action on March 2, 2023 spilled over into the streets of Braamfontein.

📹: @mphohlakudi_ pic.twitter.com/Gd8g5eA6N8

— IG: WitsVuvuzela (@WitsVuvuzela) March 2, 2023

In a statement released in the early hours of Thursday morning, the Wits Student Representative Council (SRC) said there was a “mass exclusion of students” at the university.

Among the SRC’s demands were:

• For NSFAS allowance to be increased to R2 000;
• The withdrawal of the R45 000 NSFAS accommodation cap and the reversal of the centralised process for accommodation accreditation processes;
• The scrapping of private accommodation top-ups;
• The removal of Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande and Deputy Minister Buti Manamela;
• The extension of the first academic block by one week.

On Wednesday, the university said its academic programme was completed despite the challenges.

It also said it would bring in external protection officers to ensure safety at entrance and exit points and help prevent classes being disrupted.

ALSO READ: Wits University says academic programme will continue, despite student protests

University says some students to be charged

It said complaints of intimidation and damage to property are being investigated.

“[Campus Protection Services] is also reviewing video footage and other evidence which will be used to charge and/or suspend perpetrators, in line with the university’s rules, policies and procedures,” it said.

It added that the Dean of Student Affairs was trying talking to student leaders to “try to address some of the demands”.

“However, a number of the issues raised are systemic issues which need to be addressed at the national level. These will be channelled to the appropriate leaders via Universities South Africa and other fora.”

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