SWAZI STUDENTS LEFT STRANDED IN SA RIOTS

Students of the Durban University of Technology march as countrywide protests demanding free tertiary education continued in Durban, South Africa on Monday.

MBABANE – It had to come to this. Following weeks of violent student protests against the increase of tertiary fees in South African universities, several of the institutions have since been closed.

This has left a large number of Swazi students studying there stranded.
The protests were prompted by a statement issued by that country’s Minister of Higher Education, Blade Nzimandze, who announced that universities could raise fees for 2017, as long as the increase did not exceed eight per cent.

This announcement was received with great discontent by students and since then, turmoil has been the order of the day in universities, where some Swazis are enrolled.

In separate previous interviews, the Swazi students had said they would join the protests in solidarity with their colleagues.
They are now singing a different tune following that some of the universities have been closed.

Yesterday, News24, an online publication, reported that at least four South African universities have been closed as student protests turned violent, following the government’s proposal, last week, of tuition hikes.
One of the closed institutions is the University of Pretoria where Swazi students also study.

The university posted a statement on its website yesterday.
“Since access to the entrances to the university is being impeded by protest action, the university will remain closed. Academic activities will resume as soon as possible,” it announced.

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