BLOEMFONTEIN – The nine students who were arrested for public violence at the University of the Free State’s (UFS) Nelson Mandela Drive Campus were granted bail with the condition that they will not enter the campus premises until the case is finalised.
They appeared in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court on Friday, 10 October, where they were also informed by the court that provision must be made for those residing on the campus for accommodation outside the campus premises.
The court case will resume on Tuesday, 4 November, says Lieutenant Colonel Thabo Covane, spokesperson for the South African Police Service in the Free State.
Their arrests followed the handing over of a memorandum of demands to senior management on 8 October, which led to disruptions, after it became known that management had decided to discontinue provisional registration from the 2026 academic year.
Rising levels of student debt concerning
In reaction to this, Lacea Loader, senior director: Communication and Marketing at the UFS, said on 26 September this year, the Council of the UFS approved the discontinuation of provisional registration with effect from the 2026 academic year.
“For many years, the UFS has been the only university in South Africa that allowed students to register while they still had outstanding fees. This practice reflected the university’s commitment to access and success for all students.
“However, the university is deeply concerned about the rising levels of student debt and the impact this has on both students and the institution. A comprehensive review of the 2025 registration data found that provisional registration is not an effective mechanism to support students with financial challenges.”
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Wannè Andrews of the Democratic Alliance Student Organisation (DASO) at the UFS said the decision is a regressive and damaging policy that infringes upon the constitutional right to basic education and gambles with the futures of students.
Loader also said under this new approach, bursary applications for the 2026 academic year will open during 2025, giving students more time to plan and secure funding.
“The university will also provide targeted financial advising to help students in managing their finances, applying for funding, and avoiding registration-related crises.”
