Student leaders at University of Fort Hare, in the Eastern Cape, say that the eruption of violent protests at the university’s Alice Campus is a result of student suppression by management.

Two students from the university are in hospital after sustaining injuries in clashes with the police, following the torching of an administrative building.

Student leader Asonele Magwaxaza says, “Students are demanding this Vice Chancellor must go, and also this thing that is happening, is not only of students, but there are also stakeholders that are involved in this, it’s a collective project between students and stakeholders of the university.”

Magwaxaza adds, “Students are angry, students are frustrated, because they have been suppressed. The student governance has been suppressed and compromised, and procedures and protocol have been followed by political organisation, by SRC and everything. We have been writing to the council, to the management, but they are arrogant, they are not responding, they are not doing anything.”

Protest at University of Fort Hare leaves two students injured