“This irresponsible reporting can only undermine a noble protest by students and raise temperatures unnecessary,” the ANC said in a statement.
Media reports said police filed the lawsuit accusing the six students of high treason which consists of any conduct unlawfully committed by a person owing allegiance to a state.
“This type of irresponsible and reckless reporting leads to unnecessary stress for both protesting students and parents.
“We have satisfied ourselves that following yesterday’s protests throughout the country no student has been charged with treason nor is there an intention to do so. We call on the media to rectify this false assertion” the ANC said.
Earlier in the day, the South African Police Service (SAPS) also denied allegations that six students had been charged with treason for taking part in a violence protest against tuition fee hikes.
The six students were facing charges of trespassing and contravening the Gatherings Act, instead of treason, said the SAPS.
During the illegal protest which saw students forcing their way into the Parliament premises on Wednesday, police arrested the six students and put them in the Cape Town police station, Police Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi said.
In Wednesday’s protest, thousands of students assembled outside Parliament, demanding a zero increase in proposed 2016 tuition fees. They clashed with police when trying to break into the Parliament premises, prompting police to fire stun grenades to disperse the students.
On Thursday, ANC Secretary General Gwede Mantashe said the ANC is in full support of student demands for a zero percent fee increment for the 2016 academic year.
He however stated that while they sympathize with the students, resources does not permit their demands.
Widespread protests have been going on for days across the country, triggered by tuition fee hikes ranging from 10 to 50 percent for the 2016 school year. The fee hikes came as a result of reduction in education funding by the government.
The government has proposed a six-percent tuition fee hike, but students have rejected the proposal, demanding a zero percent increase. Enditem
Source: Xinhua
