Cops, students clash
Cops, students clash
Published: 09:51 am Oct 29, 2015
JOHANNESBURG: South African police fired stun grenades and arrested one student in clashes at Johannesburg’s University of the Witwatersrand on Wednesday, as country-wide protests for free tertiary education entered a third week. Studies and examinations have been disrupted at several universities and many remain closed even after President Jacob Zuma on Friday gave in to the protesting student’s demands not to increase university fees next year. Protests against tuition increases started at the university, known as “Wits”, on October 13 and spread to other campuses nationwide. Some students at Wits are demanding free higher education, as well improved conditions for contracted university workers. “Most of the students have returned to the academic programme. We have about 30 students or so who have been marching around campus since this morning,” Wits University spokeswoman Shirona Patel said. Patel said police had been allowed onto the campus to restrain protesters.