Protesters also blocked entrances at the University of Cape Town, which has suspended classes on Tuesday and Wednesday because of the unrest.
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Classes were suspended Wednesday at the University of Cape Town because of security concerns.
Nzimande on Monday announced there would be no fee increase for students whose parents earned less than R600,000 a year for the 2017 academic year.
The University of the Free State (UFS) has also been shut down‚ management said.
Meanwhile, a few kilometres away from the drama at Wits, the University of Johannesburg’s convocation president Mbali Mkhonto warned students against being used.
Students have begun marching through the university’s Johannesburg campus to “conscientize students” who are still in class‚ one student leader said.
“The situation is also a bit tense with about 30 students protesting on the campus”.
Moreover, the Bill links the newly created Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) with an increase in fees for universities.
There is absolutely no reason for this protest because the overwhelming majority of these students are going to be experiencing a no fee increase in both universities and college.
South African universities will be allowed to increase their tuition fees by up to 8 per cent in 2017, but students from low- and middle-income families will not have to foot the bill.
Essential services include security, catering, cleaning, health-related services and key technical staff, it said. Blade Nzimande, the education minister, has said the demand is not feasible because South Africa can’t afford it. “How did they [the government] write off R60bn for Eskom a year ago but can’t afford R2.5bn?”
SRC secretary Ricardo Smith had said earlier: “Students do not want an increase. if he announces a no-fee increase‚ we will go back to classes immediately”.
In a statement the ministry said the violent protests led to the destruction of property and interference in the academic programmes in some institutions.
But Ronen Aires, chief executive of Student Village, a student development group, said free higher education could not happen overnight as it would require a major shift in the country’s economic structure.
“The continuing growth in State spending on the National Student Financial Aid Scheme will help enormously to address the needs of the poorest students”.
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“That can only be decided at the student mass meeting”, Mkhatshwa said.
