GROUNDUP: Rubber bullets fired at Rhodes graduation ceremony

On Friday morning, a protest against student debt erupted at Rhodes University's graduation ceremony in Makhanda. The demonstration, which continued despite a high court injunction, saw the intervention of police who deployed stun grenades and rubber bullets to disperse around 100 protesters. Thirteen students were subsequently arrested during the altercation.

The protest was sparked by the university's new fee payment protocol, which mandates students to settle all their fees, including past debts, by the end of 2026 to register for the upcoming academic year. This policy was the subject of protests on Tuesday and Wednesday, leading to an interim interdict being granted by the high court on Wednesday.

The Student Representative Council (SRC) characterized the gathering as a "silent protest" organized by an unidentified group of students. The SRC cautioned that the interim interdict remains in effect, legally obligating students to refrain from protest activities. They urged the police to consider the vulnerability of students, with the risk of misunderstanding the implications of an interdict.

Under the protocol, students with outstanding debts will be barred from accessing their results, learning if they qualify for supplementary or aegrotat exams, and accessing their graduation certificates. They must either provide evidence of NSFAS funding confirmation or secure a loan equivalent to the debt amount before being eligible to register for the new academic year.

If students fail to secure a loan or prove they attempted to obtain one, they must sign an agreement acknowledging their debt and committing to paying it off in installments. Students with NSFAS funding confirmed and no debt exceeding R25,000 will be permitted to reside on campus. Defaulters in payment plans will be handed over to a debt collection agency.