In support of the no fee increment at universities all over the country, students from Tshwane University of Technology joined the national protest. They demonstrated on Wednesday morning, leading to the suspension of classes and university lock down.
“There was a meeting held on Monday, about the fees increment and it was supposed to reconvene today [Wednesday], but there will be no meeting because all we are saying is ‘fees must fall’,” said SA Students Congress (Sasco) vice chairperson Monkie Maluleka.
Maluleka pointed out this was the same problem they protested about a few weeks ago.
“The minister of higher education must come to the party to see what can be done to assist the students so that the fees do not increase,” he said.
The TUT Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) spokesperson Tshepang Makgatlha said students were already struggling financially and being forced to fork out more money would be killing them.
“This demonstration is to say no fee increment, but it is also a call to the minister make education free.
“Twenty years down the line we are still struggling with fees at universities,” he said.
“We will demonstrate tirelessly until there is a positive response from the university and the government.”
Addressing the students outside the campus, one of the student leaders said the major problem was that the vice chancellor earned more than a million rand annually.
Pan Africanist Student Movement of Azania (Pasma) chairperson at the TUT leader Mlungisi Nkonyana told Rekord that students would not agree to pay more while the vice chancellor was earning more than a million rand.
“The vice chancellor also receives a clothing allowance. If fees increase, lecturers’ salaries will automatically increase,” said Nkonyana.
He said Pasma stood for anti-corruption at the university.
“As you can see the management of the university is here and they are not saying anything worthwhile, but are just here to threaten us,” he said.
Nkonyana said the management would meet on Thursday to discuss fees.
“If they come back and say the 6% increment is being implemented, the university will not function until our demand of 0% increase is met.”
Students shouted insults and slurs at the police and the university management.
At the TUT Soshanguve campus students were also protesting.
TUT spokesperson Willa de Ruyter said the management had resolved to suspend all university activities.
She said there would be a meeting to discuss what will happen for the rest of the week.
She said students had not been violent.
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