Rhodes University and its Student Representative Council (SRC) have moved closer to resolving their dispute over the institution’s 2027 student fee payment arrangements following talks between the two sides.
The university said the meeting held on Monday evening resulted in several compromises and areas of agreement, with its executive leadership now preparing changes to the proposed fee payment protocol.
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Vice-Chancellor Professor Sizwe Mabizela said the discussions showed the importance of allowing university management and student representatives to engage directly on contentious issues. He said an earlier opportunity for substantive engagement between the SRC and university executive could have prevented some of the events that followed.
“We wanted to understand the concerns raised, address areas of disagreement, and identify practical and acceptable ways forward,” Mabizela said in a statement.
The institution said the concessions reached during Monday’s meeting were intended to take into account the financial difficulties faced by students without placing the university’s financial position at risk. The university has not yet publicly set out the full details of the concessions reached during the meeting.
Week of protests over outstanding fees
The development comes after a week of protests over how the university intends to deal with students who have outstanding fees.
The protests disrupted university activities and resulted in Rhodes approaching the Eastern Cape High Court for an order restricting further demonstrations.
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The court granted an interim interdict on 30 September. The matter is expected to return to court on 27 October.
At least 13 students were arrested after a group of about 100 protesters gathered outside the 1820 Settlers National Monument during a university graduation ceremony. Police used stun grenades and rubber bullets to disperse the crowd after protesters were instructed to leave the area. Students, however, maintained that the demonstration had been peaceful.
Students challenge debt and registration rules
Among the issues raised by students are the amount of outstanding fees that must be paid before registration, access to academic results and the debt limit that determines whether students can secure university accommodation.
The SRC had also called for a different approach to outstanding debt, proposing that the amount students are required to pay upfront should be linked to the size of their debt.
Under the proposal, students with smaller outstanding balances would pay a greater proportion of what they owe upfront, while those with larger debts would pay a smaller proportion.
University management had previously indicated that it was prepared to consider the proposal, although it raised concerns about some of the legal and practical implications of implementing the students’ demands. The university has maintained that its fee payment rules are aimed at managing student debt while ensuring that Rhodes remains financially sustainable.
- Rhodes University and its SRC held talks resulting in compromises over the 2027 student fee payment arrangements, with the university preparing changes to the proposed protocol.
- Vice-Chancellor Professor Sizwe Mabizela emphasized the importance of direct engagement between university management and student representatives to resolve contentious issues.
- The concessions reached aim to balance the financial difficulties faced by students and the university's financial sustainability, though full details have not been made public.
- The negotiations follow a week of protests over outstanding fee policies, which disrupted university activities and led to a court interdict restricting demonstrations.
- Students raised concerns about upfront payment requirements, access to academic results, and debt limits affecting accommodation, proposing a debt-linked payment system that university management is considering with caution.
