Pro-student movements take aim at private security, ANC
Organisations supporting the call for free higher education says private security needs to take responsibility for the destruction of property at universities.
The 'Fees Must Fall' in Tshwane, 'Outsourcing Must Fall' and 'Occupy 4 Education' movements held a joint press briefing in Pretoria on Wednesday.
Members say they now want to unite their struggles.
The movements have pledged support for the fight for free education and have condemned alleged attacks on students by police, private security and university management.
"Our hearts and souls are with the students that are arrested throughout the country; at the University of Limpopo, Durban University of Technology and The University of KwaZulu Natal who are currently in prisons for advancing a fight for free education," Vusi Mahlangu from 'Outsourcing Must Fall' said.
Mahlangu said private security, and not the students, is to blame for the ongoing violence on university campuses.
"We suspect this additional securities at universities - the so-called bouncers - to be the ones responsible for this thing, because they want to maximise profit. When there is burning of property, universities are left with no option but to extend contracts and to extend the securitisation of these particular campuses," Mahlangu said.
ANC must fall
The movements said the ANC led government must fall with the fees, if it continues to advocate for payment.
The movements stated that the majority of students have resolved to continue protesting and that it's the minority who wants to go back to class.
They've called on Higher Education and Training Minister Blade Nzimande to resign following - what they call - childish and anti-revolutionary remarks.
"Just as we rejected the minister's initial announcement on the capping of the increments of fees at 8 percent, we denounce as mischievous, comments in the media briefing yesterday. They are not only childish, but they are also anti-revolutionary. The best he can do is to resign - not only him, but the entire cabinet," Mahlangu said.
Mahlangu added that it is poor students who are in the majority who are fighting for fee free education and they won't back down.
They said they'll take their fight to government.