Students at the Sol Plaatje University (SPU) in Kimberley demand to be allowed to register without making any payment towards their outstanding historical debt. The students embarked on a peaceful protest action on Wednesday (12/2).

The protests, planned to continue till Friday at the University Square, are over debt repayment policies, registration blocks, and lack of financial support which threaten their education and future.

“SPU students who have historical debt are not NSFAS recipients, they are mainly unfunded students,” said SPU spokesperson Kashini Maistry. “Of these, 934 undergraduate students owe a total of R65.2 million in outstanding fees and 435 postgraduate students owe R14.4 million in debt.”

“The university is committed to assisting students who do not have funding through covering the tuition fees for undergraduate students who pass all subjects on their first attempt, through Postgraduate Merit Awards, NRF funding for postgraduate studies, and the Student Graduate Fund.”

The university is engaging with donors who may be willing to clear the historic debt of final-year undergraduate students or recent graduates within their catchment areas, she said.

At the University of the Free State (UFS) at least 15 students, nine women and six men were arrested on Tuesday (11/2). A series of protests and demonstrations across the university’s campuses was allegedly triggered by concerns over registration and funding.

OFM News reported students were detained on the university’s premises for violating a court order, said Free State police spokesperson Capt. Loraine Earle. The university earlier issued communication regarding the disruption of classes and other activities at both Bloemfontein and Qwaqwa campuses.

The Central University of Technology (CUT), Free State looks forward to a fruitful academic year with more than 22,000 registered students, it said.

“Classes resumed on Monday at the CUT and last week the vice chancellor and principal officially opened both campuses for the commencement of the 2025 academic year,” said CUT spokesperson Seithati Semenokoane.

The NWU said the university did not experience any disruptions.

OFM News/Zenande Mpame cg