Maties stage sit-in for free higher education
Students at Stellenbosch University have been staging sit-ins at the J.S. Gericke library since Monday under the banners of #Occupy4FreeEducation and #SFMFDefianceCampaign.
According to the university's Martin Viljoen the protest has been a peacefull one with students demanding fee tertiary education.
He says they stayed behind when the library closed on Monday night and left the building on Tuesday morning.
"The students returned on Tuesday night and ever since prevented other students from entering the library," Viljoen said.
"The issue at hand is free education and student affairs engaged with the students yesterday and discussions are ongoing," Viljoen told Jacaranda FM News.
ALSO READ:
We are at Stellenbosch University occupying #SFMFDefiance #Occupy4FreeEducation pic.twitter.com/uc7AwvxKZd
— #FeesMustFall (@FeesMustFallWC) September 13, 2016
He added that they are concerned about the library being closed down as many other students need the library to do research as final exams are approaching.
"The library is a central point at the university and many of our masters and PHD students work from a research centre at the library," he added.
Viljoen said that even though there were some scuffles in front of the library yesterday, there has been no injuries or arrests.