Students on hunger strike at Wits criticise revised registration policy

JOHANNESBURG - Some students on a hunger strike at Wits University are expressing dissatisfaction with the university's revised registration policy.

On Friday, the university announced that undergraduate students owing less than R150,000 would now be allowed to register, a significant change from the previous limit of R15,000.

Saturday marks day nine of the hunger strike, with reports that some participants have required medical attention as their conditions worsen.

The hunger strike is supported by protests organised by the student representative council, which led to negotiations with university management.

However, hunger striker Siviwe Mafuna has criticised the new policy, stating that it excluded postgraduate students like him.

"We reject the concessions that have been reached between the management and the SRC. Our demand was one, a simple one, that all unregistered students must register despite their historic debt. We had made it clear that we are against the exclusionary policies of the university."

He added that they were waiting for the university to address them directly.