Acting Public Protector to meet with universities amid national shutdown

It says Acting Public Protector, Kholeka Gcaleka will be visiting several tertiary institutions in the country over the next few weeks to hear from various roleplayers.

The first stop is at the University of Venda in Limpopo tomorrow.

She will meet with the university's management, the SRC and NSFAS officials to discuss access to education.

The offices say it received numerous complaints last year relating to failure by NSFAS to pay for tuition, inadequate allowances for study material and non-payment of living allowances.

In Johannesburg, protesting Wits students have forced several shops in Braamfontein to close their doors.

They've taken to the streets for a second week to demand that historic debt be wiped out.

Police used water cannon to disperse the students - but they regrouped.

At the nearby University of Johannesburg, protesters have blocked off roads near the main campus.

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The University of Zululand says it's been business as usual.

UniZulu spokesperson, Gcina Hleko says there was a bit action of action at the university. " It was a group of about 8 students and where they saw the police, they quickly dispersed. So nothing really happened." 

The South African Union of Students said it would shut down institutions across the country to pressure government into meeting its demands. 

One of them is the clearance of students' debt. But the higher education minister says the government is not in a position to financially support tertiary institutions to do this. 

First year students will however be able to register following a commitment to reprioritise funding. 

Those who qualify for financial assistance from NSFAS won't be expected to make payments up front for registration.