The South African Students Congress (Sasco) says it has been meeting with leaders of the governing African National Congress (ANC) and some government ministers to try and find an amicable solution to the ongoing student protests.
Students have been calling for free higher education. They also want students to be allowed to register even if they have historical debt.
Sasco Treasurer-General Thabile Dlamini says they feel the ANC is not supporting the fight for free education, and therefore they will also withhold their support for the party during the upcoming local government elections.
“As Sasco, we have decided that we are no longer going to support the African National Congress in their local government elections. We no longer going to campaign for them, because if they can not support us as students then they can not recognise that we also form part of a very important stake in this country. We need to be supported as students. Therefore we also can not support the ANC if its not going to support us as young people in this country,” adds Dlamini.
Sasco has vowed to continue the national shutdown of universities across the country until its members’ demands are met.
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Meanwhile, the Economic Freedom Fighters Student Command at the University of Pretoria is calling for the postponement of the 2021 academic year.
They say this should happen as the students intensify their contemplated shut down of universities to allow all first year students to register.
On Monday afternoon, a female student was admitted to hospital after she was shot and wounded in the leg allegedly by police firing live ammunition during protests that have intensified in Johannesburg.
Several students have also been arrested.
GRAPHIC CONTENT: More arrests made in Braamfontein, one student shot
