Weeks of frustration over fee blocks and student housing led to a two-day protest at Stellenbosch University (SU), organised by the Economic Freedom Fighters Youth Command (EFFYC) and the South African Students Congress (SASCO).
The demonstration, on 19 and 20 February, was held in response to what organisers have described as the Student Representative Council’s (SRC) withdrawal from plans to mobilise students. The organisers argued that the number of students unable to register made the issue urgent enough to protest, in a joint statement from the EFFYC and SASCO posted on Instagram on 19 February.
Student protesters gather on the Rooiplein on Thursday, 19 February. PHOTO: Yusuf Kosadia-Hassen.
Fee blocks caused by outstanding balances left many students unable to register for the academic year, despite being academically eligible. During a mass meeting held by the SRC on 10 February, a week before the protest, Simiso Langa, chairperson of the SRC, shared the number of affected students: “about 2400 NSFAS-related blocks have been lifted with about 700 in the high-risk category.” She also added that 911 students applied for the Student Debt Working Group (SDWG).
Accommodation shortages further complicated the situation. In the weeks leading up to the protest, some students were reported to be sleeping in the Neelsie. A student, who asked not to be named, said they are currently staying with a friend while trying to resolve a financial block preventing them from registering. “I’m just trying to find a way to continue my studies,” the student said.
During the SRC mass meeting, concerns about fee blocks and accommodation were raised, with students questioning what steps were being taken to address the situation. SRC representatives said at the time that they were engaging with the university rectorate to find solutions, but some students and political organisations argued that these discussions were not providing immediate relief.
On 17 February, EFFYC, SASCO, unhoused, and unregistered students rally supporters for the protest, calling for action outside all of the residences at SU, as Irene residents complain that they want to go to sleep. PHOTO: Yusuf Kosadia-Hassen
In the week following the mass meeting, the SRC planned a protest but later withdrew on 18 February, prompting the EFFYC and SASCO to arrange their own. According to Liyema Langa, EFFYC executive member, and Alyssa-Abby Kekana, chairperson of SASCO in the Western Cape, their protest included a two-day academic boycott intended to highlight financial blocks, accommodation shortages and funding challenges affecting students, including those in the so-called “missing middle”. These demands were drafted by students, not student leaders or members of student political parties, according to Langa.
Langa said the decision left students frustrated and confused. “The SRC should have maintained consistent communication with students,” he said. “Their lack of transparency has led to untrue statements being circulated, often framed as ‘this is what management said’.” These “untrue statements” refer to figures about fee-blocks and unhoused students. Langa explained that there are far more students who have not even tried to register or return to Stellenbosch from their home towns because they have outstanding student debt. Langa also suggested that some members of the council appeared more aligned with SU management than with students. “It is clear that some members have acted more in the interests of the university administration than in the interests of students,” he said.
The SRC held multiple meetings with the SU rectorate and sent two letters of demand on 11 February and 18 February. The outcomes of these letters included the extension of the registration deadline to 27 February, the reopening of the Student Debt Working Group (SDWG) applications for a three-day period, and clarification on SU funding processes from the rectorate.
According to a statement from SU on 22 February, the university has implemented many target measures to support students with funding limitations. These include making more than R15 million available to the SDWG, which supports those students in the “missing middle” and high-risk NSFAS categories, an increase of the debt cap to R10 000 and activating an emergency accommodation protocol during the welcoming period, which could support more than 150 newcomers.
Four members of the SRC were asked for comment multiple times by SMF News over two weeks; however, they did not respond in time for publication.
Students protesting in the Neelsie minutes before being removed. PHOTO: Yusuf Kosadia-Hassen
Martin Viljoen, the spokesperson for SU, said that the university cannot confirm how many students are unable to register or are without accommodation, as it only tracks the number of registered students and does not require students to report their housing status.
The university provides institutional housing for approximately 8 300 students, while those without residence are referred to private accommodation providers. “There are still [private accommodation] spaces available,” Viljoen said, adding that funding remains a major barrier for some students seeking housing. SU also confirmed that the protest organised by EFFYC and SASCO had been approved by the Stellenbosch Municipality. SU said meetings with student leaders were held after a memorandum was submitted by the protesters to Leslie van Rooi, the acting Dean of Students, on Friday, 20 February at 15:00.
Student political organisations offered differing views on the protest. Andrea Martinez, the chair of the Democratic Alliance Student Organisation (DASO) in South Africa, criticised the protest, alleging that members of the organising groups harassed a student and violently removed a homeless man from the demonstration. DASO said the incident raised concerns about the conduct of protest organisers. An SMF News reporter present observed organisers asking the homeless man to leave the area, but did not witness any physical violence during the interaction.
Representatives from EFFYC and SASCO denied the allegations, and no reports of violence or intimidation were received by the office of the Dean of Students, according to Viljoen.
Kekana said the protest aimed to ensure that students affected by registration blocks and housing challenges did not fall behind as the academic year continued. “The purpose of the protest is to make sure no student is left behind,” Kekana said. “Classes had already started while some students were still unable to register.”
SU opened temporary access to the SunLearn platform for students who had not yet registered. However, organisers of the protest argued that this did not fully address the situation, as it remained difficult for students to focus on their studies while their registration status remained uncertain.