'Tell Steve Biko I died fighting for free education' - Wits student

20 September 2016

Johannesburg - Wits students have abandoned plans to march toward the Hillbrow police station, resolving instead to make their way back to the main campus to hold a meeting on the way forward.

"Media, please assist, we are scared of police and are asking for you to act as a buffer so that we are not attacked," said Khuthadzo Ramukhadi, a student leader at the university.

Several students held placards demanding free education in their life time, some screaming that police were attacking them while they fought for their rights.

"I am going to tell Steve Biko I died for free education," one yelled.

Students told journalists that police had said they would allow them to walk to different campuses, but met them with force earlier and were fearful that the same would happen if they tried to return to their main campus.

SRC member Fashia Hassan, who had been speaking to students and police, told News24 that they were peaceful and just wanted a safe passage back to campus where they would hold a meeting on the way forward.

"We want to go back now, we've negotiated with police and want go back to main campus for a mass meeting on the way forward," she said.

This article first appeared on News24, see here.