By Hassan Isilow
JOHANNESBURG (AA) – South African Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande Wednesday blamed certain “political groups” in the country for turning ongoing student protests against tuition fees into protests aiming for regime change.
Speaking to South Africa’s eNCA television, Nzimande said student protests that began three weeks ago over legitimate concerns have now been taken over by a political agenda aimed at causing discontent in society against the government.
He claimed that the leftist socialist opposition Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party has been visible in the university protests. The EFF spokesperson was not available for comment.
“Our protest is legitimate. All we want is free education. If government gives us a commitment, we shall return to class,’’ Fasiha Hassan, secretary general of the Witwatersrand University student representative council told Anadolu Agency.
She said the minister’s statements were aimed at discrediting genuine student protests.
Political analyst Shadrack Gutto also disagreed that student protests have been hijacked by political formations.
“The government wants to divert people’s attention from its bad governance and inability to address the fees crisis,’’ he told Anadolu Agency in an interview Wednesday.
But politics professor Andre Duvenhage of the North-West University – located west of Johannesburg — agreed that there were some opposition groups and factions within the ruling African National Congress (ANC) who have allegedly been fanning calls for regime change at various platforms.
“There is no doubt that there is a political process aimed at regime change in South Africa, from student protests being hijacked, to the anti-Zuma lobby groups,’’ he said over the phone.
Student protests began three weeks ago following an announcement there would be an 8 percent tuition hike for the 2017 academic year. Since then, students have protested, boycotting classes and clashing with police.
On Wednesday, campus security guards were reportedly locked inside a burning building as rampaging students set fire to the main entrance of a Cape Town university.
Last year, South Africa witnessed similar protests, forcing the government to avoid a tuition hike for 2016.
Also late last year, thousands of South Africans marched across the country to call for President Jacob Zuma to resign over alleged poor leadership and corruption.
