Concern over state of affairs at tertiary institutions

The University of Fort Hare celebrates its centenary today, but questions remain about what modern day strides the university has made.

The Universities of Fort Hare and Limpopo have been hailed for the quality of graduates it has produced in the past, but currently the institutions are facing tough times amid rising dissent at higher education institutions across the country.

Deteriorating infrastructure and lack of resources plague many institutions with a call for free education.

Political analyst Professor Somadoda Fikeni said government has forgotten about these institutions.

"In fact, many of them have suffered serious decline due to lack of resources, due to internal political problems and infighting and also due to the fact that the poor students that they service happen not to have as much money as their historically white university counterparts," Fikeni said.

Fikeni said government should have done more to deal with the historical debts.

"Unfortunately, the kind of violent protests that we have seen...seem to be visiting Fort Hare at the most inappropriate time and it means the local political and resource issues no longer have a sense of occasion where interest of the institution in the face of the world has to be taken into account."

Students continue to protest

Despite a court interdict, students continued with their protests on the Alice Campus on Friday where high profile guests have gathered for the centenary celebrations. 

Students and police have been in a stand-off at the entrance, with students saying they would boycott the celebrations.

Police used a water canon to disperse the group, but they have returned and blocked the entrance to the university.

Students said they have made several demands and the celebrations could not continue until their demands have been met.