Traffic has been badly affected on Empire Road in Johannesburg due to a protest by Wits University students.
The road has been closed with rocks and burning tyres.
This is part of the ongoing protest over what they say is the financial exclusion of students.
Police opened fire with rubber bullets on students protesting outside Wits Medical Campus. A student has been arrested.
We are clear – we will not allow for business as usual to continue until every student is allowed to register.
No retreat. No surrender.#ShutEverythingDown
— Wits Physics Council (@Wits_Physics) March 9, 2021
They say they want students who owe the university R 150 000 to be allowed to register.
Wits University says it has made R10 million available to help students experiencing financial hardship and who have historical debt of up to R 120 000.
Wits Student Representative Council member, Bonga Makhanya says, they want Wits Vice-Chancellor Zeblon Vilakazi to come and address them.
“There’s been no laptops given to first-year students, no laptops to returning students who do not have. There’s an accommodation crisis where the university gave too many offers to students but when they get here they are told there’s no space for them. This has resulted in students sleeping in libraries.”
WITS SRC legal and policy officer Gabriella Nechama Farber on financial exclusion:
