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Roundup: Tension running high in S. African university ahead of Zuma's visit

Xinhua, May 20, 2016 Adjust font size:

Students vowed on Friday to continue their protest over funding at the University of Fort Hare in Alice, Eastern Cape Province, despite the upcoming arrival of President Jacob Zuma for the university's centenary anniversary.

Brandishing placards that read "100 years of poverty" and "We are hungry", the students blocked the university main entrance, saying they would not allow Zuma to enter the premises.

Zuma was on his way to the university to attend the centenary celebrations after returning from a state visit to Qatar.

Hundreds of students, joined by parents and workers, were gathering to disrupt the institution's centenary celebrations, where Zuma is scheduled to speak.

The students are protesting against the university's handling of issues relating to financial aid and student debts.

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, an alumnus of the university, was also said to be part of the delegation at the event. About 3,000 luminaries and guests have gathered for the celebrations.

The university has this week been beset by violent protests over funding, with some student bodies calling for the jubilee to be postponed.

The students insist that their demands be met before the celebrations could go ahead.

These demands include that students, who did not live in residences on campus, should recover allowances for accommodation and transport before the end of the semester.

Earlier in the day, police fired rubber bullets and teargas in clashes with protesting students.

University management said they have met 90 percent of the students' demands. But the students want all their demands to be met.

Also on Friday, the Presidency rejected statements made by some commentators in the media, stating that there is violence during protests because that is the language that government understands and also that government does not go to the people.

"It is not true that government only pays attention when there is violence and mayhem. Government continuously engages communities on its programmes and continues to listen and respond to their concerns," presidential spokesperson Bongani Ngqulunga said. Endit