Today is day three of living with friends off campus while students run amok on campus. Although the university insists each morning that all is under control and that staff should continue with normal activities, we have not opened the clinic due to fears for client and staff safety. Over the past two days many lecturers have been chased out of the lecture halls with fire extinguishers, professors have been assaulted, and one Dr who works at the clinic was attacked by students throwing rocks. How can the university continue to ask staff to come to work when they have clearly been unable to control the situation adequately? We will see what today brings.
Thankfully, our campus is not the one making headlines this time around. There has been no major damage here recently. On many other universities however, students continue to burn buses, buildings, residences, etc. In Johannesburg, one protest spilled out into the city and several shops were looted and destroyed. There is even talk of the government calling for a state of emergency.
Why are the students protesting? They have decided that it is time for the government to make university free for all students. Now, just like a toddler who isn't getting what he wants, they are throwing a temper tantrum, using violence to attempt to force their own way no matter the consequences to the rest of the country.
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