Recent unrest at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits University) in Johannesburg has captured national attention as students take to the streets in Braamfontein and Parktown, chanting "We'd rather die than go home." These protests, erupting in mid-February 2026, center on financial exclusion policies that bar thousands from registering for the academic year due to outstanding debts and delays in National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) funding. With the academic year already underway, demonstrators from organizations like the South African Student Congress (Sasco), Progressive Youth Alliance (PYA), Pan-Africanist Student Movement of Azania (PASMA), and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) Student Command are demanding immediate access to education for all eligible students.
This crisis echoes the #FeesMustFall movement a decade ago but is fueled by contemporary challenges: ballooning historic debts totaling around R1.5 billion at Wits alone, NSFAS processing backlogs affecting over 1 million approved students nationwide, and stringent university debt thresholds. Protesters have blocked key entrances like Yale Road North on Empire Road, disrupting traffic and drawing police oversight, yet maintaining a tense but non-violent stance as of February 20, 2026.
🔥 The Spark Igniting Wits Protests
Protests began early the week of February 17, 2026, coinciding with the extended registration deadline of February 17. By Friday, February 20, demonstrators had escalated actions, blocking campus access points. Student leaders estimate 20,000 students remain unregistered, including 9,000 financially excluded from 2025. This figure stems from Wits' policy requiring payment of at least 50% of debts exceeding R10,000 or reliance on limited hardship funds.
Sasco's Zwelimangele Volsaka highlighted the human cost: "Students from the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal cannot afford to go home. Their dreams will be shattered." EFF's Lebo Sebolao echoed, "We would rather die in the streets of Braamfontein than be deprived of an education," capturing the desperation amid high travel costs and no alternative housing.
- Blocked Yale Road North entrance, halting campus entry.
- Singing struggle songs, submitting memorandums since Monday.
- Police and community patrollers present, no major clashes reported.
What is Financial Exclusion?
Financial exclusion refers to university policies preventing students from registering, accessing lectures, residences, or exams due to unpaid fees. At Wits, this affects undergraduates and postgraduates alike. Students owing R10,000 or less can register outright. Those with higher debts but household income under R600,000 may apply to the Wits Registration Assistance Fund (WRAF), offering 50% debt relief up to R50,000 per student from a R20 million pool—applications closed early February.
For debts under R120,000, eligible students can sign an Acknowledgement of Debt (AOD) if NSFAS-funded or self-arranged. Historic debt complicates this: even with new funding, prior balances block progress unless partially settled. Accommodation exacerbates issues—Wits' cheapest res costs R55,000 annually for just 300 spots, exceeding NSFAS's R52,000 cap, leaving many in unaccredited private housing.
| Debt Level | Registration Option |
|---|---|
| ≤ R10,000 | Direct registration |
| > R10,000, income < R600k | WRAF (50% relief, max R50k) |
| < R120,000 + AOD | Case-by-case with funding |
| Historic debt | 50% payment + AOD required |
Despite concessions like matching SRC's R6 million Access Fund, critics argue these fall short for the R1.5 billion debt burden.
Explore scholarships to bridge funding gaps for South African students facing similar barriers.NSFAS: The National Student Financial Aid Scheme Unpacked
NSFAS, a government scheme funding low-income students (household income < R350,000), approved over 1 million for 2026, disbursing billions. Yet delays plague the system: late confirmations, appeals rejections, and accommodation caps from 2023 leave gaps. At Wits, NSFAS beneficiaries sign AODs for prior unpaid debts, but processing lags mean thousands await status updates.
Step-by-step NSFAS process: 1) Apply via myNSFAS portal; 2) Await approval (893,849 first-time apps for 2026); 3) Universities verify; 4) Funds disbursed directly to institutions/housing. Delays arise from verification backlogs, fraud probes (SIU recovered R17 billion), and budget shortfalls. Protesters blame NSFAS defunding without reason, e.g., parental retrenchments.
Nationwide, similar issues spark protests at DUT and UCT, highlighting systemic flaws.NSFAS official site for tracking.
Student Perspectives and Suspensions Controversy
Voices like SRC Secretary-General Antonett Khoza decry opaque suspensions: "They printed my letter without reason; I have nowhere to go." Up to 30 precautionary suspensions (reports vary 14-30) for 45 days target SRC members, seen as criminalizing activism. PYA members demand residence fee caps at NSFAS rates to prevent exclusion.
- Zwelimangele Jamjam: "20,000 unregistered—a structural indictment on funding."
- Anonymous PYA: "Hypocritical to demand fees without issuing qualifications for jobs."
Many hail from rural provinces, facing homelessness if sent home. For career advice on navigating debt, check higher education career resources.
Wits University's Response and Capacity Constraints
Wits reports 37,207 registered (including 6,000 first-years), nearing 42,000 capacity. Extensions, WRAF, and AODs aim to assist, with R2.3 billion financial aid administered in 2025 for 29,871 students. Yet, with three weeks left in late extensions, pressure mounts. University statement: "Committed as resources allow," welcoming donations.
Wits registration update details concessions.
Broader South African Higher Education Landscape
SA's student debt crisis exceeds billions across 26 universities; Wits' R1.5 billion is symptomatic. NSFAS strains from 900,000+ apps, with 200,000 delays. Protests mirror UCT (1,400 self-funded limbo), DUT violence. Historical debt from #FeesMustFall persists, worsened by post-COVID economic woes.
Capacity shortfall: 656,000 matric passes vs. 235,000 spots. Solutions like missing middle loans see low uptake (12,000 apps).South African higher ed jobs highlight employment pathways post-graduation.
Impacts: Academic, Economic, and Social
Exclusion disrupts 20,000+ educations, risking dropouts and inequality. Economically, delayed graduations hinder job entry; socially, protests securitize poverty. Long-term: stifled skills development amid SA's 32% youth unemployment.
Towards Solutions: Reforms and Stakeholder Calls
Demands include:
- Universal registration sans debt barriers.
- Lift suspensions.
- NSFAS-aligned res fees.
- National protocol for funding timelines.
Experts urge NSFAS overhaul, university debt forgiveness, private-public integration. SRC's Kobo Ya Thuto fund aids, but systemic change needed. Explore higher ed jobs or rate professors for informed choices.
Future Outlook for Wits and SA Higher Ed
With protests ongoing, negotiations loom. Government interventions like SONA university expansions offer hope, but execution key. Students resilient, echoing #FeesMustFall: education as right. For advice, visit career guidance and university jobs in ZA. Positive reforms could transform access, positioning SA as education hub.
