A tense standoff between police and Rhodes University students ended in the arrest of 13 students on Friday. The students, aged 19 to 23, were protesting against the university's proposed student debt management regime outside the 1820 Settlers National Monument, where a graduation ceremony was underway. According to SAPS spokesperson Brig Nobuntu Gantana, the students had been warned to disperse peacefully but failed to comply.
The protest began when around 100 students arrived at the monument at about 8:30 am. Despite being informed of a court order barring protest action aimed at disrupting graduation proceedings, the students started protesting. The police then intervened, using stun grenades and rubber bullets to clear the area. Gantana stated that the public order police unit had given the crowd ample time and warnings to disperse peacefully.
The arrested students were charged with contravening a court order. No serious injuries were reported during the incident. However, students provided a different account of the events, claiming they were sitting peacefully outside the monument when they were told to leave within five minutes. They alleged that police used teargas and chased them once the time was up.
The students are opposed to the university's new protocol on the payment of student fees, which takes effect in 2027. The new regime requires self-funded students to pay part of their existing debt before they can register next year. The university argues that the payments are necessary to manage its cash flow. Tensions have been rising at the university since the beginning of the week.
According to Gantana, the operational commander had read out a court order from the high court in Makhanda that barred protest action aimed at disrupting graduation proceedings. Despite this, the students continued to protest, prompting the police to take action. The incident highlights the ongoing debate over the university's student debt management regime.
Student accounts of the incident suggest that they were not trying to block the road or gain access to the monument. They claimed to have been sitting on the grass when they were told to leave within five minutes. The students expressed frustration at being chased and arrested by the police.
The university's new protocol has sparked significant opposition among students. The arrests of the 13 students have added to the tensions, with students likely to continue expressing their dissatisfaction with the new regime. The incident will likely be reviewed by the university and law enforcement agencies.
Key points
- Thirteen Rhodes University students were arrested for protesting against the university's new student debt management regime.
- The students were charged with contravening a court order and were arrested outside the 1820 Settlers National Monument.
- The university's new protocol requires self-funded students to pay part of their existing debt before they can register next year.
