2025 triggered some deja vu as the latest student protests at various higher education institutions (HEI) campuses in Cape Town that have erupted have given flashbacks of the early stages of the fees must fall protests that took place exactly a decade ago.
The issue of poor and middle-class students being priced out of HEIs is no new phenomenon as prior to the fees must fall protests, came the 2005 student protests where students took to the streets to advocate for the same liberties that their younger counterparts are still fighting for presently.
Doing what all students did when reaching their boiling points, students at CPUT, UCT, Wits and Stellenbosch have resorted to protesting at their respective campuses, in order to draw attention to the issues they have been facing since the beginning of this academic year.
At Stellenbosch, students have voiced dissatisfaction with the school’s decision to deregister students with historical debt, barring them from obtaining qualifications that would allow them to have access to employment, and therefore access to funds to pay the debt.
As expected, protesting students were met with resistance from law enforcement and were reportedly subjected to stun grenades and tear gas being thrown at them. Their student representative council (SRC) has called for an academic boycott and has called for the halting of faculty access.
yesterday February 20th 2025, Stellenbosch University students had a peaceful protest and were later found surrounded by police who did not give any warning whatsoever just started throwing tear gas and stunt grenades towards the students not only did they do that they chased… pic.twitter.com/MIJDKHR1hB
— Asekho 💋. (@papii_koko) February 21, 2025
The SRC on the other hand have called for a shutdown of the institution until their university gives their accommodation, registration and tuition issues the attention that it deserves. They cite education being a right, as opposed to a privilege as they have been accustomed to believing and have called for a need for systemic change to take place.
Since Feb 17, UCT students have shut down campus against unaffordable fees that keep the poor out. Now, Wits & Stellenbosch have joined—because this is a national crisis.#FeesMustFall” pic.twitter.com/gkwy5fqVZS
— sibu (AOTY era) (@leonotnice) February 20, 2025
Tensions continue to rise at UCT campuses as students protest over fee blocks and the housing crisis that appears to disproportionately affect black students. This comes after a highly anticipated rugby match got cancelled due to protest action causing controversy on social media as users condemned the insensitivity some UCT students have shown
It’s upsetting to see the ongoing protest at UCT, especially after students fought so hard for change during the #FeesMustFall movement. Academic exclusion is not just a human rights violation, but also a form of discrimination, as it affects mostly students of color. https://t.co/U3bID5lZOa
— Zimi 🎀🫧 (@zimisodlongwana) February 18, 2025
Also see: MaYeni standing her ground this season of Uthando Nesthembu – mzansi loves to see it
