Two arrested after protesters force their way into lecture halls at prestigious Wits University in Johannesburg

Student protesters at South Africa’s prestigious Wits University forced their way into lecture halls and caused many lessons to be abandoned on Monday, ratcheting up pressure in a dispute over tuition fees.

South African student leaders vow to continue tuition fee protests Read more

Violent clashes with police have erupted regularly on campuses across the country in recent months, and several universities have been closed to avoid further unrest.

“The majority of lectures resumed this morning but were then disrupted by large groups of protesters,” the university said. “The police are present and security has been deployed to manage the situation.”



Several hundred students gathered outside Wits’ Great Hall auditorium, the scene of recent bitter clashes. Local media reported two arrests.

Nasya Smith (@NasyaSmith_SA) Cuurent situation at #Wits. Hundreds of students have gathered infront of Great Hall. #Fees2017 #FeesMustFall @WitsVuvuzela pic.twitter.com/jyrsmaXw7L

On Friday, leaders of the student protesters said they had hoped to convince the university authorities to back their campaign. “We wanted to get the university to join us. But if we stop now it means we go back to classes having won nothing,” Thalo Mokoena, of the Student Representative Council, told the Guardian.

University tuition fees have become a flashpoint for protests in South Africa, which has struggled to provide education, jobs and housing for many poor black people since the end of apartheid in 1994.



The government has vowed to help students from poorer families over fees, but protesters are demanding free education.



“Essentially what they are saying is if there is no free education, there should be no education at all,” Wits rector Adam Habib said last week, adding that the whole 2016 academic year could be lost.

#Feesmustfall: South African students clash with police – in pictures Read more

University authorities say many students want to return to class and that the protests do not represent the majority of undergraduates.

President Jacob Zuma has said he supports introducing free education, but has condemned protesters who forced universities to shut or who vandalised campuses.

Universities in Pretoria, Cape Town and Durban have also been hit by protests and closures.

Police last week used rubber bullets, tear gas and stun grenades to disperse protests at the Wits University campus.