Varsity fees convention called off following disruptions
The Higher Education National Convention, held in Midrand, has been called off amid numerous disruptions by student representatives.
Stakeholders were supposed to iron out solutions to students' demands - higher education fees and insourcing of workers being among them. But before the debate got underway, soaring tempers led to chaos.
Student leaders from various formations including the EFF Student Command, Sasco and Pasma were seen hurling plastic chairs and bottles at each other.
"Hey! Can we get out of the room? Can we get outside?" shouted the programme director during the second disruption.
The Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande was escourted out of the venue twice. He also failed to get through his opening remarks as students refused to quiet down.
Convener, former Deputy Chief Justice Dikgang Moseneke, expressed his disappointment with some of the student bodies' behaviour.
Moseneke says they will continue to engage student formations at a different time.
He says they hope the next meeting will be more orderly to allow stakeholders to find solutions.