Picture: NWU students leaving Mafikeng campus/Generic
By STAFF REPORTER
21 September 2026 – The Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Teaching and Learning at the North West University (NWU), Prof Linda du Plessis said the protest is a democratic right, but violence and intimidation threaten the very student success activists seek to protect. Du Plessis said South Africa’s post-school education system faces R59 billion in outstanding debt, placing both students and universities under immense pressure.
She further said universities cannot remain sustainable if unpaid fees accumulate indefinitely, but indebted students must be treated with compassion. Du Plessis added that no student should be forced to join a shutdown or prevented from exercising their right to learn.
“The true power of student activism lies not in bringing universities to a standstill, but in moving society towards a fairer future. A decade ago, South Africa was confronted with the largest wave of student-led protest since apartheid: #FeesMustFall.
“Ten years later, we are still grappling with the same burning questions: How do we protect students’ right to protest while also protecting their rights to learn and to be safe? And how do we provide a sustainable financial-support model for higher education?” she said.
Du Plessis said universities and the government cannot suppress legitimate dissent. She said neither can they accept violence, intimidation and destruction as legitimate features of student activism.
“#FeesMustFall helped accelerate increased financial support for poor and working-class students. However, its hasty implementation and subsequent governance failures created a new set of challenges, leaving both students and universities vulnerable. The funding crisis remains clearly visible: total outstanding debt across the post-school education system now stands at R59 billion.
“It is widely claimed that universities withhold qualifications because of outstanding payments, leaving graduates unable to apply for jobs. This is misleading. At the North West University (NWU), students receive their academic transcripts and prospective employers can request confirmation that a qualification has been awarded,” said du Plessis.
She said in October 2025, the University of the Free State (UFS) suspended all academic activities following student protests relating to the introduction of what the university described as a fairer, more equitable and sustainable financial-support system. Du Plessis said recent events at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), demonstrate how quickly legitimate grievances can develop into a wider crisis.
“Students raised concerns about deteriorating residences, financial pressures, withheld certificates and a proposed financial-recovery plan that included upfront academic and residence payments. The university council withdrew the draft plan to allow for further consultation.
“Reports on these events also described burning tyres, blocked roads, stones allegedly being thrown at vehicles and damage to infrastructure. Academic activities were suspended, students were instructed to leave their residences, and surrounding communities were also affected,” she said.
Du Plessis said they should not confuse the legitimacy of a grievance with the legitimacy of destructive actions carried out in its name. She said violence risks weakening the very causes those students are seeking to highlight.
“When campuses close to reduce safety risks, academic risks increase, and valuable teaching and learning time is lost. Whose responsibility, then, is it to protect students’ academic futures? The solution lies in shared, but never blurred, accountability.
“Universities must provide accessible and responsive channels through which students can raise concerns. They must explain the reasons for difficult decisions and consult before significant changes are introduced. Government and funding agencies must provide adequate funding opportunities, reliable payment systems and transparent accountability,” said du Plessis.
The Guardian 