South African police set off stun grenades and launched tear gas to disperse university students who were protesting for free education in the city of Johannesburg on Wednesday.
It was the second day of clashes at the city's University of the Witwatersrand, known as Wits, after the government announced that universities can increase fees by up to eight percent next year. Several students were injured during the latest unrest.
The chaos followed violent campus protests on Tuesday that forced the university's closure for the rest of the week.
Heavy shots rang out, and smoke was seen as police used stun grenades to disperse rock-hurling protesters from the streets. Traffic in parts of the city center was disrupted amid the clash.
Nolothando Zuma, a member of the university's Student Representative Council, said that the protests were organized to demand free and equal education, as fee hikes force poorer, often black, students out of school.
"Our demands are very clear, and they have been clear from day one. We want free, decolonized, and quality education, and basically, we are asking for a moratorium on fee increments until the realization of free education. All we want is free education for all," she said.
Some students said did not want to see the protests turn violent.
"The plan was just to gather the students and think of a way forward, but it seems like some students did not agree with that so hence they provoked the police; hence they started shooting stun grenades at students," said Sibongile Seale, a student from Wits.
"The violence is not going to help with anything at this point because it is just putting us in danger, students who are just trying to fight for the cause. We want to reach an agreement, a proper agreement where we can accept these terms and the university accepts these terms," said another.
The issue of fees for higher education has ignited widespread frustration over a lack of opportunities for young people, which has been worsened by a weakening economy and high unemployment.
Students staged a series of protests across the country last year, which forced the government to freeze fee increases for 2016. More on:[ Ссылка ]
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