Rhodes University students shut campus entrances over new debt recovery plan - IOL

Rhodes University students gathered on campus in Makhanda on Monday night, before they blocked the university's entrances on Tuesday over the 2027 protocol on the payment of student fees.

Rhodes University students who blocked the entrances to the campus in Makhanda on Tuesday over a new plan to recover student debt will have to wait until December before the university council considers their demands.

The protest was against the 2027 protocol on the payment of student fees, which the council approved to deal with outstanding student debt and protect the university's long-term finances.

The students' representative council (SRC) and student representatives raised their objections to the protocol with university leadership on Monday night.

Rhodes University spokesperson Olwethu Gwanya confirmed the next council meeting would be in December, and said council would consider the students' concerns rather than simply sign off on them.

"The concerns that they are raising are concerns that should then be discussed in council and agreed upon or approved by council," Gwanya told IOL.

"The university leadership cannot just take decisions overnight, because the meeting was held last night with the SRC and student members.

"It's just unfortunate that the students couldn't wait for the council resolution."

Gwanya said the protocol applied to students who pay their own fees, and not to those funded by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS).

"It's a way whereby the university undertakes to assist students who cannot pay fees," she said.

"There was also this issue with NSFAS, which left quite a number of students in limbo when it comes to fees."

Gwanya said the entrances were still blocked on Tuesday, but there was no commotion or chaos on campus.

She said staff who could work remotely had been told to do so, while essential services staff who were able to get to campus were at work.

The university also postponed the memorial service for its former registrar, Prof Adele Moodly, to a date still to be set.

A post circulated among students on social media claimed the protocol required students to pay 50% of their outstanding debt by the end of October, and an initial fee of more than R30,000 by January 15, 2027, or they would not be allowed back next year.

The post also claimed residence fees would rise to about R100,000 a year.

A Rhodes University residence fee schedule seen by IOL lists its residences at R92,851 and R97,482 a year.

NSFAS caps accommodation funding at R52,000 a year for students in metros and about R43,000 for students elsewhere, Parliament's portfolio committee on higher education heard in August.