The FF Plus condemns the criminal conduct recently demonstrated by some at various institutions of higher education in the country under the guise of so-called peaceful protest actions.
Among other things, students are unhappy about the National Student Financial Aid Scheme’s (NSFAS) new online payment system, the re-registration of students from the Scheme due to underperformance, and a delay in payments.
These institutions are supposed to have protest protocols in place. They are, apparently, not enough to prevent or put a stop to the criminal conduct of riotous students and the criminal elements who join in on these protest actions.
Institutions of higher education must cooperate with the police to ensure that protest actions on their campuses are kept under control.
Protest actions that move off campuses and cause damage to property or endanger people’s lives must be considered by the police as riotous assemblies in terms of the law.
In the most recent incident, Mr Hendrik Bisschoff was seriously injured yesterday when he was hit in the face by a brick that was thrown through his car window.
This was reportedly done by students from the University of the Free State.
The FF Plus encourages members of the public, who have been affected by violent protest actions, to lodge criminal complaints with the police.
When the right to participate in a protest action is abused so such an extent that it turns into criminality, that right has been forfeited. The guilty parties must be brought to book by the law, just like any other criminal.
The ANC government has cultivated a culture of criminality among South Africa’s youth, and it must no longer be tolerated.
