Isolate "rogue elements" behind violent student protests in SA: minister

Parents, non-protesting students, trade union movements and faith based communities should isolate those "rogue elements" behind violent student protests, Minister of Higher Education and Training, Blade Nzimande said on Tuesday.

"The violent protests and damage to property witnessed on some of our campuses is wholly unacceptable and should be condemned by all of society," Nzimande said.

He was speaking following the reported death of an employee of a private security company offering services at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg.

The death occurred last week as a result of the actions of protesting students who were reported to have released a fire extinguisher that affected this employee who later died.

Nzimande lashed at the university for failing to report the death timely.

"We are shocked by the conduct of the university for its failure to report such an incident," he said.

The university should have reported this matter immediately so that a proper investigation can take place, the minister said.

The Department of Higer Education and Training has directed the university to conduct a formal investigation and submit a report to establish what exactly happened.

The report should also explain why the university took so long to report the matter and announce it to the university community and the public, said Nzimande.

The South African Police Service (SAPS) should also be given the space to conduct an investigation, he said.

The minister and the department have been consistently calling for responsible protests that show respect for the rule of law, and do not result in damage to property, injury or the death of anyone.

"This incident therefore, painful as it is, is proof that there are people who are hell bent on holding our universities to ransom and have no regard for the vast majority of law-abiding members of the university community who do not want to participate in protests," Nzimande said.

He reiterated this call for all students to desist from these damaging protests and return to class so that the academic programme can resume.

"I am of the firm view that these elements have demonstrated no regard for the sanctity of all human life when protests become violent," he said.

Several major universities in SA have been hit by violent protests since Nzimande announced earlier this month that universities can increase tuition fees, provided it does not exceed eight percent.

Students have vowed to paralyze institutions of higher learning if their demand for zero-percent increase is not met. Endit