GALLERY: Protest for free education turns violent

BRAAMFONTEIN - Second day of protests at Wits turns violent as students and police clash

September 20, 2016

Gaahele Mokgoro 2 minutes read

It was a clash between forces as Wits University students stood firm in their demand for free education despite a strong and armed police presence.

Day two of the #FessMustFall protest took a different turn as the day began with the arrest of 31 protesting students, who are being detained at Hillbrow Police Station.

Over two thousand Wits students continued the fight for free education and after a small skirmish with police on Wits main campus in the morning, they moved their protest to Parktown, where they intended to shutdown the campus in hopes of reeling in additional students to join the protest.

Attempting to deter the protesting students from marching to the education campus, police threw stun grenades on the corner of Empire and St Andrews roads but the infuriated and adamant group marched on through the bangs and smoke.

Upon arrival, the students were greeted in song by an additional 500 like-minded students ready to join the protest and march back to main campus where they would assemble at Solomon Mahlangu House.

However, riot police had barricaded the entrance to Solomon Mahlangu House resulting in a crossfire of rubber bullets and a hail of rocks thrown at opposing parties who both suffered injuries.

Disgruntled SRC

Wits SRC Secretary General, Fasiha Hassan has blasted the university for not allowing them to enter into Solomon Mahlangu House and said that it was time that government heeded their call for free education.

She further alleged that police had warned them that should they set foot on a public road they would face the wrath of the police.

“We marched to education campus in solidarity with other students but we have returned back onto main campus without any issues, “she said.

She confirmed that 31 students were still being detained at Hillbrow Police Station and added that the SRC and others were trying to get them released.

“We need government to speed up the process of the Fees Commission, we also need them to alter the terms of reference. They cannot be asking whether it is feasible or not they need to be asking how are we going to implement free education in South Africa,” she said.

The protest continues.