UFS Students Rally Outside Court as Six Peers Face Charges Over Campus Protests

A Morning of Defiance and Support

Tension filled the air in Bloemfontein on Monday morning as a crowd of University of the Free State (UFS) students gathered outside the Magistrate’s Court. Their purpose was clear: to show solidarity with six of their peers arrested late Friday during protests on campus.

The arrested students face charges of malicious damage to property and attempted arson following a night of heightened unrest that saw parts of the main campus shut down. Despite the looming legal consequences, the atmosphere outside court carried a strong sense of unity and defiance.

Protest Against Policy Change

At the heart of the ongoing demonstrations is the university’s decision to scrap provisional registration from 2026. The policy currently allows students with outstanding fees or incomplete funding to register conditionally while resolving their financial or administrative issues.

Many students argue that removing this system will lock out those from financially vulnerable backgrounds, effectively barring them from continuing their studies. “Without provisional registration, a lot of us won’t even make it to class,” one student leader said during a march last week.

Disruption on Campus

The protest movement began in the early hours of Friday morning, with students mobilising across the main campus to halt academic activities. Lectures were interrupted and administrative operations slowed as demonstrators called for the university to reconsider its stance.

University officials have yet to issue a detailed statement addressing the concerns raised, though they confirmed that academic operations were temporarily suspended for safety reasons.

Broader Reflections on Student Struggles

The situation at UFS mirrors a recurring pattern in South African higher education, where financial exclusion and access remain flashpoints for unrest. From #FeesMustFall to recent funding crises, students continue to grapple with systemic barriers that shape their academic journeys.

As the six students face the court, their peers remain steadfast outsidechanting, waiting, and hoping that their message resonates beyond Bloemfontein. For many, this is about more than one policy; it’s about protecting the dream of education itself.

{Source:SABC News}

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