“Our Lecturer Was So Scared”: Wits University Students Disrupt Classes During Protest

“Our Lecturer Was So Scared”: Wits University Students Disrupt Classes During Protest

  • Several South African universities are experiencing a chaotic beginning of the academic year
  • Students have been protesting against financial inclusion and disrupting classes to get acknowledged 
  • Wit’s University scholars joined in on the fight for affordable education after CPUT and UCT made headlines 

It has been a decade since South African students came together to fight for affordable education.

Wits protests against financial exclusion
Wits students joined in on the fight against financial exclusion. Image: @Giuseppe Lombardo
Source: Getty Images

The 2015 #FeesMustFall movement awarded scholars with a chance to study no matter their background. 

Wits University students disrupt classes during protest

Students of the Wits University in Johannesburg started protesting this week against financial exclusion. The scholars came together to fight for every student prohibited from continuing their studies at the institution.

While the marching and singing mostly happened in the streets, some students interrupted lectures in order to be acknowledged by the school. In a now-viral TikTok video, scholars barged into a classroom and startled the educator with their behaviour.

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One pupil gathered footage and posted a video on TikTok with the caption:

“Not them barging into our lecture to strike. Wits is striking for unregistered students. Our lecturer looked scared.”

Students present during the lecture were stunned by their mates fighting for a chance to study. The same events occurred at Stellenbosch University, CPUT, and UCT.

The ongoing strikes and protests resemble the 2015 #FeesMustFall movement led by the youth who were determined to stop increases in student fees as well as to increase government funding of universities.

Watch the TikTok video below:

Wits University students protest against financial exclusion 

Social media users were stunned to see protesters disrupt a lecture amid the fight against financial exclusion:

University students on strike
Wits University students protest against financial exclusion. Image: @PeopleImages
Source: Getty Images

@callmendondo pointed out a problem:

“Perfect example of the haves and the have-nots! Those seated couldn’t be bothered they made it to Wits why care about those that couldn’t.”

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@<3 said:

“The fact that I'd start singing along.”

@Ite shared what they were doing at the time:

“That time I was asleep in the lecture hall. I thought the world was ending.”

@Sithokozile Mamba commented:

“Yho, strikes are so peaceful now or UKZN was just wild. When I was in the first year, the minute we heard singing outside we’d run to the exits at the back, stepping over each other, terrified.”

@pooki22 wrote in the comments:

“In varsity, we had one lecturer who respected SRC so much. Once there are rumours of a strike he would immediately cancel classes for the whole week with no stress.”

@Nomcebo explained to Mzansi:

“They were supposed to strike for the government. WITS is a business, no money, no relationship.”

3 More protest-related stories by Briefly News

Source: Briefly News

Authors:
Chuma Nontsele avatar

Chuma Nontsele (Human Interest Editor) Chuma Nontsele is a human interest journalist for Briefly News. Nontsele holds a Diploma in Journalism and started her career working at Daily Maverick as a News reporter. Later, she ventured into lifestyle and entertainment. You can reach her at chuma.nontsele@briefly.co.za