UFS issues campus shutdown as students continue to fight against the discontinuation of provisional registration.
As of Tuesday, 14 October, the executive management committee of the University of the Free State (UFS) has ordered the immediate closure of the Qwaqwa campus.
All Qwaqwa campus students are requested to leave the campus within the next 24 hours.
Lectures at the Bloemfontein and South campuses have been suspended until further notice.
“Only limited movement will be allowed on campus from seven in the evening [7pm] until seven in the morning [7am],” said UFS.
‘Barbaric and unacceptable’ actions at UFS
The portfolio committee on higher education and training in the National Assembly expressed concern over the conduct of private security personnel against the protesting students at UFS. The chairperson of the committee, Tebogo Letsie, denounced the incident and described the actions of the guards as “barbaric and unacceptable”.
“We are deeply disturbed by the scenes of brutality against defenceless students. It is painful to witness such violence at institutions that should be promoting learning, critical thinking and nation-building. We cannot hold committee meetings and remain silent while such acts are happening at our universities,” Letsie said
The root of the chaos
The current situation is a result of continuous demonstrations by students across the three campuses. They are protesting against the discontinuation of provisional registration. The university announced last week that it will be discontinuing provisional registration as of 2026.
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This means that students who still owe fees to the institution, or have not secured funding by the time registrations for the 2026 academic year open, will not be allowed to register.
Only students with confirmed full funding, including funding by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme or through a bursary, and no historic debt, will not be required to pay fees before registration.
The university stands firm on basing its decision on improving its financial stability. “The university is deeply concerned about the rising levels of student debt. This affects 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.”
Letsie also stressed that decisions affecting access to higher learning institutions “should not be made without proper consultation with all relevant stakeholders”.
“It is unfortunate that we continue to deal with crises at our higher learning institutions, when these spaces should be focused on academic excellence and contributing to a better society.”
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