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South Africa tuition fee protests: Students arrested in Cape Town South Africa's Nzimande offers to cap student fees
(about 7 hours later)
Police have arrested more than 20 students at a leading South African university, the public broadcaster reports, as protests against a proposed rise in tuition fees spread. South African Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande has resolved to cap tuition fee increases at 6% for 2016.
The arrests came after students defied a court order obtained by the University of Cape Town (UCT), declaring their action unlawful. Proposed tuition fee hikes of between 10% and 12% have sparked protests at universities across the country.
The protests have spread to at least six universities. Some University of Cape Town (UCT) students who were arrested because of the demonstrations have been released, but have to appear in court next week.
It is the biggest action by students since apartheid ended in 1994. Police arrested more than 20 students after they defied a court order, declaring their action unlawful.
The students, most of whom are black, say they cannot afford a proposed rise in tuition fees of between 10% and 12%, roughly twice the rate of annual inflation. The protests have affected seven universities, including Wits in the main city, Johannesburg.
They also say it amounts to discrimination in a country where the average income of black families is far less than that of white families. Some student leaders - including those linked to the leftwing opposition Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party - rejected the minster's offer, which he made after talks with university officials.
The demonstrators include medical students marching with stethoscopes around their necks, and singing freedom songs which inspired people to fight the former apartheid regime. "They know very well that we can't afford 6%. We want free quality education," Wits EFF chairperson Vuyani Pambo told Reuters news agency.
The protest started at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg last week, before spreading to UCT, Rhodes, Stellenbosch, Fort Hare and the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. Mr Nzimande has said the government could not afford to provide free education for poor students.
Some of them have been forced to shut down, as students burnt barricades and stormed buildings. Students say the fee hikes amount to discrimination in a country where the average income of black families is far less than that of white families.
The protests are the biggest by university students since apartheid ended in 1994.
They started at Wits last week before spreading to UCT, Rhodes, Stellenbosch, Fort Hare, the Free State and the Cape Peninsula University of Technology.
The protests have also sparked wide reaction on social media under the hashtag #FeesMustFall.
Some universities have been forced to shut down, as students burnt barricades and stormed buildings.
At UCT, police fired stun grenades to disperse protesters who defied a court order preventing the disruption of lectures, the public broadcaster, SABC reports.At UCT, police fired stun grenades to disperse protesters who defied a court order preventing the disruption of lectures, the public broadcaster, SABC reports.
The protest at Wits university has continued, despite its management agreeing to suspend the increase in fees until talks place. The protest at the University of Witwatersrand has continued, despite its management agreeing to suspend the increase in fees until talks place.
Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande is now meeting university officials to find a solution.
Universities should show "greater caution and sensitivity" when setting fees in order to "minimise the detrimental impact on poor students", he said on Monday.