University of the Free State must act on violent behaviour of protesters

2 August 2023

AfriForum Youth calls on the University of the Free State’s management to take strict action against students who are guilty of violent protest action. The youth organisation learned from its members on this campus that a group of violent protesters pelted buildings on campus with stones while students were busy with academic proceedings inside the buildings.

“The University of the Free State’s management team must take serious disciplinary action against the guilty students and a case of property damage should be made for vandalizing the buildings,” says René van der Vyver, spokesperson for AfriForum Youth.

AfriForum Youth members notified the organisation that they feel unsafe on campus. “This is unacceptable and as a youth organisation we will be in touch with the university to ensure that academic proceedings on campus are considered more important than violent political actions,” adds Van der Vyver. “It is not sustainable to suspend classes on campuses every time protests turn violent. Innocent students are being punished because of the criminal actions of a small group.”

“We were inside the agricultural building when we heard the rumbling. We were told to lock ourselves in before they got to us – we were terribly scared,” says Anlé Spies, a second-year agriculture student.

Issued by René van der Vyver, Spokesperson, AfriForum Youth, 2 August 2023