TEARGAS, rubber bullets and riot shields replaced books and lectures at university campuses around the country as students took to the streets to fight against a hike in tuition fees this week.
Classes at most of the affected universities have been suspended for the week, as it seems no resolution could be reached between students and government.
The Zululand Observer spoke to both university students from Zululand and their parents, to get their take on the #FeesMustFall protest action.
A 20-year-old Rhodes student from Mtunzini, who wishes to remain anonymous, had to take shelter with a friend in Adelaide just outside of Grahamstown earlier this week after protests quickly worsened.
‘It is great that they are protesting for a worthy cause however everything has escalated and is beginning to get out of hand,’ she said.
International students are also being kept within the campus walls after a spike in xenophobic attacks, in which a number of foreign owned shops were reportedly destroyed.
‘The campus is a total mess and we can only hope that everything calms down before the start of our exams next week.’
Rayleigh Motala, a 19-year-old first year Accounting Science student at the University of Witwatersrand (WITS) in Johannesburg painted a grim picture of the situation earlier today.
‘Police physically removed us from campus earlier in the week while a large group of us were sitting down to study.
‘Some kids are still suffering from the after-effects of pepper spray. All university services were suspended, except the dining halls that stayed open to feed the res students.’
Rayleigh was at the Union Buildings in Pretoria this afternoon, where most of the protest action had taken place throughout the week.
‘Right now the student leaders are meeting with the president. It’s a national shutdown, but for a valid reason. Free education is our right.’
Rayleigh’s mother, Judy, said she is in full support of the students and believes they are fighting for a good cause.
‘If I were in Joburg, I would be there every day. Ray has been at the protests every day, and I fully support her.’
Sam Johnson, a first-year journalism student at Rhodes University echoed reports of xenophobic attacks in Grahamstown.
‘Campus is okay today I hear. I left last night after students came in threatening us if we didn’t leave our rooms,’ she said.
‘Last night was hell to be honest, people were setting off fire alarms and threatening to burn down reses if we didn’t participate. They’ve apologized today saying it was a small group who were intoxicated, but it definitely shook up a lot of people.’
‘Unfortunately though, the protests are no longer the only concern as xenophobia has flared up majorly as well most international students were evacuated from their homes and placed in accommodation on campus, most of the schools around here have shut down today as well.’
Petro Swanepoel, Sam’s mother, said her opinion over the strikes was forced to change after speaking to her daughter.
‘Sam made me understand what is going on, and I now totally understand why the students are protesting.
‘I just feel that it is unacceptable that the safety of those who do not wish to participate has been compromised. If any of my children wilfully endangered someone else, they would have me to deal with, that’s for sure.
‘Sure, the government subsidises and helps the students and universities, but there is a lot more the government can do. How are these kids supposed to study, when they can’t even buy themselves a Coke?’
Tatenda Sibanda, a first year Computer Science at the University of Johannesburg, said she was at home on Friday after a ‘hectic’ day on Thursday.
‘I really don’t agree with the protests. I can understand the WITS students, where the fees are really expensive, but UJ student don’t really have a reason to complain.
‘My mother has been calling me every day and it she has told me to just stay out of trouble.’
Her mother, Zee, said that while she understood the reasons for the protests, she felt the violence was uncalled for.
‘They should rather sit down and negotiate with the leaders, and maybe reach an agreement with government.’
All parents agreed that they have considered bringing their children home until things calmed down at their respective campuses..
BREAKINGNEWS news just in from Student leaders coming out of meeting with Pres has agreed to 0% fee increment. #VA #C
— The Citizen News (@TheCitizen_News) October 23, 2015
Additional reporting by Amy Jenkins and Kyle Cowan
