Johannesburg – “We will not eat until all students are registered ” is the bold message aimed at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), which protestors say is refusing to register them because of historic debts.
Since last Friday, (14 February 2025), some students have been on a hunger strike demanding that they be registered.
The students who are pleading poverty insist that education is their only chance of escaping the grim reality of their impoverished communities.
Expelling them over outstanding debts would only condemn them to abject poverty with no hope of changing their circumstances.
While a hunger strike is a form of protest, after 45 days, there is a high risk of death, mostly due to infection or cardiovascular collapse.
Even after a protester decides to end a hunger strike, there is the potential risk of “refeeding syndrome.”
Some students said they were beginning to feel weak but remained determined to continue with the hunger strike.
On Friday, (21 February 2025), the Board of Directors of Universities South Africa (USAf) said it observed with regret, the incidents of protests and unrest at several campuses as students demand to be allowed to register for the 2025 academic year, notwithstanding unpaid debt, among other challenges.
At least two USAf member institutions have had to start the academic year online because of student protests over financial exclusion and accommodation.
All of this is to pressure the institutions’ management to resolve these issues.
USAf, representing South Africa’s 26 public universities, said it was “alive to the challenges students face and understands that many are struggling to settle their outstanding tuition fees”.
In particular, the Board said it fully empathises with the first-time-entering students awaiting funding confirmation from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) – pending which they can neither register nor secure accommodation.
The directors have also noted the issue of returning students barred by landlords from accessing their previous accommodation on account of outstanding 2024 rentals from NSFAS.
The Board categorically states that universities have pulled out all the stops to accommodate the affected students, either by making special concessions on outstanding debt or mobilising funding from every possible source to assist those who can be helped.
These efforts demonstrate that universities’ executive management teams understand household struggles.
Besides, universities are equally affected by the funding inefficiencies that are experienced by the students.
“While the students’ grievances are legitimate, we reiterate what we’ve said before: that these issues are being presented to the wrong role players.
“Universities are not the primary source of student funding, and so, they are in no position to settle outstanding fees or the amounts due or overdue from NSFAS. Therefore, the protests are being misdirected,” said the USAf Board.
“We continue to engage our partners at NSFAS and in Government on these matters to find collective solutions.
“That said, the disruptions across campuses are counter-productive as they ultimately impact on the very academic agenda our students seek to access.”
The universities’ representative body warned that disrupting registration and the academic project sets the institutions’ processes back and places the university communities at risk, including the protesters themselves.
While acknowledging the need for students to raise awareness of their despair, the USAf Board called for calm and the voice of reason to prevail.
The USAf Board urges students to recognise that their grievances, while valid, should be directed through the appropriate channels for resolution.
Engaging with government representatives and advocating for systemic changes to funding mechanisms will be more productive than placing pressure on universities, which are already making efforts to support their students under challenging circumstances.
“By fostering a spirit of collaboration between students, universities, and government entities, we can work towards sustainable solutions that ensure access to education for all,” the Board states.
“Moving forward, let us prioritise dialogue and constructive engagement to create a more equitable and supportive educational environment.
“Together, we can navigate these challenges and uphold the integrity of our academic institutions while addressing the urgent needs of our student population.”
