JOHANNESBURG/DURBAN. — A female student was injured and treated by paramedics in Braamfontein yesterday afternoon as Wits University students clashed with police during their protest against the announcement on fee increases on Monday.Police used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse protesting students who are adamant that free education is feasible as university protests entered their third day despite the Treasury saying those who can afford to should pay fees.

Videos surfaced of more clashes on social media yesterday. It appears the woman suffered burn marks as police fired stun grenades and rubber bullets to disperse a crowd of students who were marching in Jorissen Street.

Other students surrounded the injured student and gave her water to drink. She was taken by paramedics to an ambulance where she received assistance.

Wits announced the suspension of all university activities for the rest of the week following events of Tuesday, where students barricaded entrances to the Wits Braamfontein campus and clashed with security. Management said students‚ academics‚ professional and academic staff need not come to Wits campuses yesterday.

The university said it condemned the actions of those who perpetrated acts of violence and would take action against them once they were identified.

Meanwhile, both student leaders and Vice Chancellor Adam Habib took to social media to publicise their positions on the current fee protests at the institution.

Habib, who is in New York for the launch of the United Nation’s HeForShe campaign, tweeted his thoughts on the violence that broke out at the institution on Tuesday.

“I left before the fee announcement and it’s been difficult watching events from afar despite my continuous contact with the team at Wits,” Habib tweeted.

Students and private security threw rocks at each other outside the Great Hall at the Braamfontein campus. — Times Live/News24.

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