ANC MPs blasted for 'ignoring UCT students'
Opposition parties say they are shocked by the ANC's failure to step up to the plate during yesterday's student protests outside parliament.
Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene was delivering his mid-term budget speech when chaos erupted outside.
Police fired stun grenades at the hundreds of students protesting against fee hikes for 2016 at the country's universities.
IFP MP, Sbongile Nkomo, who was in Parliament at the time says they had to use side and back entrances to get out.
''We were in the house in parliament when suddenly we received a report that students had broken into the premises and entered the National Assembly.
''It was quite a scene which we have not seen for well above 21 years. It was terrible,'' she said.
Nkomo feels Higher Education Minister, Blade Nzimande should have risen to the occasion.
''They needed him to come and talk to them and now by failing to do that it has actually created a lot of problems.
''The plight of the students is that they wanted Minister Blade Nzimande to come and speak to them openly - to come and address them. It's the minister's responsibility to make himself available to students,'' she added.
View yesterday's scenes outside parliament below:
Meanwhile, the son of University of Cape Town’s Vice Chancellor Max Price was among the 30-students arrested during the protest.
Another UCT student and son of ANC stalwart Frank Chikana was also taken away by police after students stormed Parliament's gates.
Police say those arrested will be facing charges of trespassing and public violence.
(Photo via Twitter, @Blavity)