In what has become an almost annual ritual, students of the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa have embarked on protests, blocking Empire Road at the M1 bridge in central Johannesburg and disrupting vehicular movement in the area.
The student representative council tweeted that the protest is over registration issues. On Monday, the university said it has registered 35,000 students and it was ready to resume the 2021 academic calendar.
Last year, Wits University students and students across other campuses across South Africa protested at the beginning of the 2020 academic year over students’ housing deficit. The Police arrived early and remained on standby at Wits University premises.
President Cyril Ramaphosa, in a state of the nation address, itemised a R64bn intervention through private sector participation over the next 10 years towards addressing students’ housing needs.
A week-long negotiation resulted in concessions by the university, to provide R20 million. The Wits SRC insists that all students offered readmission should be allowed to register.