Protesting students have swarmed Parliament ahead of Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene’s mid-term budget‚ which he is scheduled to deliver this afternoon.
Students from the University of Cape Town‚ Cape Peninsula University of Technology and Stellenbosch University and even those studying through UNISA gathered in Plein Street to demand the scrapping of fee increases. Chanting students also climbed onto the statue of Louis Botha.
“We want Gwede‚ we want Gwede‚” students screamed as police arrived at Parliament’s entrance. Students do not have a memorandum but insisted that Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande or other members of Cabinet must address them.
Siphokazi Makaula from CPUT said: “We want all fees to be decreased. What we doing will change the minds of government who is not concerned about us”.
President Sibusiso Thwala‚ president of the SRC at CPUT‚ said students around the country have united. He reiterated that they reject the 6% increase. “We want the minister…to come and engage with students…enough is enough. We are sick and tired of the commodification of education‚” he said.
One UCT student said: “Why not strike? South Africa is a place where there is not education for everyone. The gap between the wealthy and the poor is too vast. How are we going to move forward without an education”?
– timeslive