DA leader Mmusi Maimane on Wednesday inside Parliament echoed the demands of protesting students on the outside, calling on Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande and President Jacob Zuma to go and address students.
The Assembly has been adjourned just after 15:35, with a warning to Members of Parliament not to leave their offices due to the volatile protests outside.
Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene was inside, presenting his mid-term budget to Parliament.
At this point Maimane got up and said Zuma should speak to the protesters, but he barely got a nod from the house.
Thousands of protesters were chanting outside Parliament: "We want Blade! We want Blade!" but the call went unheeded.
Parliament has been in lockdown after the protesters tried to force their way in, resulting in teargas and rubber bullets, as well as stun grenades being fired.
Students were heard screaming "who are you protecting? We are students we are unarmed", before more stun grenades were fired as the crowd pushed back harder.
At one stage, students were seen throwing rocks through the gate, accompanied by their demand for Nzimande to come forward.
Source: News24
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