Students at Walter Sisulu University’s Mthatha campus in the Eastern Cape took to the streets in fresh protests over the university’s decision to allocate different allowance percentages to first-year and returning students.
The university’s policy provides 100% allowance allocation for first-year students while returning students receive only 50%, prompting accusations of unfair treatment and discrimination among the student body.
Protests erupted early in the morning, disrupting academic activities as students rejected the differing allocations. Demonstrations persisted until midday, escalating into a tense standoff with police. Rubber bullets and tear gas were deployed to disperse crowds, resulting in some students sustaining injuries during the clashes.
Beyond the immediate grievance over funding disparities, protesters demanded the complete scrapping of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), pointing to persistent inconsistencies, delays in allowance payments, and administrative inefficiencies that have plagued the scheme.
The unrest occurred mere hours before the national budget speech, drawing renewed attention to challenges in higher education funding across South Africa.
Higher Education Minister Bhuti Manamela has previously highlighted expansions in student funding support. He noted that the number of funded students has grown significantly, with last year seeing about 800,000 students supported, and this year marking the first time the figure reaches approximately 1 million students. He cited that 72% of NSFAS-funded students from the class of 2025 passed their courses.
In response to the State of the Nation Address, Minister Manamela reaffirmed commitments to resolving issues, stating that his department collaborates closely with student organizations, vice-chancellors, and college principals to ensure no student is left behind. He emphasized active behind-the-scenes efforts, saying, “Our department together with students organizations, vice chancellors and college principals are working around the clock to ensure that no student is left behind. So when some asked where is government the answer is simple. Sometimes government is not on social media… government is in the corridor at midnight fixing problems.”
As the 2026 academic year begins, protests continue at various higher education institutions nationwide, highlighting persistent difficulties in addressing student grievances and achieving consensus on funding and administrative reforms despite official assurances.