Some of the fees must fall student activists who led the fight for the scrapping of fees at universities across the country are looking back on their struggle with mixed emotions.

Several of the leaders of the student movement that engulfed campuses three years ago are still fighting to clear their names in courts while others have been suspended.

With former president Jacob Zuma announcing free university education late last year and the Treasury committed to provide funding for it last week, Sowetan spoke to some students whose faces made the posters of the struggle for free education.

Former Wits University SRC president Mcebo Dlamini, who will appear in court for the 31st time on Friday, complained that his case has been dragging on for such a long time.

Dlamini was arrested two years ago on charges of theft, public violence and being in possession of a dangerous weapon during the 2016 fees must fall campaign.

"I am a postgraduate LLB student and it [the court case] is disturbing my academic performance. I spent the last two years juggling between my studies and courts.

"I am stressing about legal costs which are very expensive. I also sit and wonder what will the verdict be as I don't want anything that will jeopardise my degree because any criminal record means I won't be able to serve as a lawyer."