[WATCH] 24 UFS students arrested as protests spread across SA

A total of 24 protesters have been arrested outside the University of the Free State (UFS)’s main campus in Bloemfontein on Thursday.

This comes after students at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) have said they will not relent in their protests, even after it took a deadly turn on Wednesday. 

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Students at the University of Pretoria (UP) had also taken to the street on Thursday over financial exclusions. 

A group of protesters were staging demonstrations against the 2021 registration process and had moved to the main campus gate, located in Nelson Mandela Drive. 

Amongst those arrested, a senior student revealed from inside a police van that he owes the institution R120 000 and is unable to register due to financial challenges.

“Many of us have not registered. I owe the institution R120 000 and no-one is working at home, that is why we’re here. Our only sin is to want to get an education.” He further alleges that some of them were fetched from their homes by authorities and promptly arrested.

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Free State Police spokesperson, Motantsi Makhele says public order police were deployed to the entrance of the UFS just before midday after receiving several complaints of roughly 50 demonstrating students blocking a part of the Nelson Mandela Drive. 

Makhele says the group was instructed to clear the road, but some protesters did not, resulting in stun grenades being used to disperse the crowd. 

“A total of 24 students were arrested for contravening the Road Traffic Act and Gatherings Act. All arrested students are expected to appear in the Bloemfontein Magistrate's Court soon,” says Makhele.

The arrests come as Higher Education Minister, Blade Nzimande, announced on Thursday that Cabinet had approved the release of funding through a reprioritisation of his own Department's budget for registrations to proceed. 

The particular issue under discussion was the shortfall in funding for the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) for 2021.

The UFS has extended the registration period for first-year students to 19 March, and senior undergraduate students have up until Friday 12 March to register. 

Earlier in the week a group of protesters who have identified themselves as the Concerned Student Movement disrupted administrative and academic activities at the main campus, citing issues surrounding funding, campus access, the online registration process, and the academic programme as their reasons. 

UFS spokesperson, Lacea Loader, said the protesters handed over a memorandum with a list of demands to university management, and a response was provided to the Concerned Student Movement on Wednesday morning.

“The executive management is committed to ensuring stability on campus and to the uninterrupted continuation of academic and administrative services and will continue to engage with students to find amicable solutions to matters that are of concern to them. It remains important that the 2021 academic year continues and that it is completed successfully,” said Loader.