The 22 students who were arrested at UFS on Wednesday (2/8) are facing charges of public violence. 14 students between the ages of 19 and 24 were arrested at the two UFS campuses in Bloemfontein, while 8 were arrested at the Qwaqwa campus. All students are facing charges of public violence.

This week disgruntled students disrupted classes on all three campuses. EFF UFS Student Command spokesperson Naledi Tubela said students started the protests over issues of National Financial Aid Allowance Scheme allowances through eZaga, an online digital banking service, tasked with dispersing direct payments to beneficiaries.

Police were also deployed on campuses. Video screengrab

During protests, various buildings, including vehicles, were damaged by rocks thrown by students. It’s understood that police were also deployed on campuses to assist security guards who were also hit by stones during the protests.

UFS Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Prof. Francis Petersen, said he was shocked by the recent unrest as they have been continuously engaging with various stakeholders to find lasting solutions to challenges faced by students. He further said things are now calm, however, the university still has to get a full report from the university’s protection services on injuries sustained and the property damage during the unrest.

During a virtual media briefing held yesterday, Peterson said academic activities have been moved online until 4 August and the situation will be assessed.

OFM News