Hassan Isilow
September 26, 2016•Update: September 27, 2016
By Hassan Isilow
JOHANNESBURG
Student protests against tuition fee hikes intensified Monday across South Africa with protesters burning a university residence and clashing with police.
University of KwaZulu-Natal spokesman, Lesiba Seshoka confirmed in a statement that protesters had set fire to a reception area of a residence at the Pietermaritzburg campus 488 kilometers (300 miles) south of Johannesburg.
“An act of arson is under investigation,” he said, adding protesters were reportedly disrupting activities at lecture rooms and residences.
Local television stations showed images of students clashing with police at the university earlier Monday.
In the capital Pretoria, the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) suspended its academic activities after students barricaded entrances to the campus.
“In the interest of the safety of staff, students and TUT property, activities were suspended for the day,” the university said in a statement.
In Johannesburg, police fired rubber bullets to disperse protesting University of Johannesburg students who were demonstrating at the Kingsway and Soweto campuses.
Students could be seen running for cover, but Anadolu Agency could not ascertain if there were any injuries.
Students’ protests began last week at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg after Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande announced there would be a tuition hike for the 2017 academic year.
Last year, thousands of students marched in the capital to protest against a proposed tuition fee hike for the 2016 academic year.
Protesting under the banner #FeesMustFall, students called for free tertiary education.
After days of protests, President Jacob Zuma announced there would not be any tuition fee hike for the 2016 academic year.
