Zuma says this is not the time for grand-standing even as university protesters rally around new 'no surrender' hashtag

President Jacob Zuma has called on students to allow the academic year to conclude and not create a backlog for incoming students next year.

Speaking at the Higher Education and Training Imbizo in Kempton Park on Monday‚ Zuma said government did not condone or agree with the notion that the university system be shut down and university property be destroyed until a long term solution for the fee crises be found.

“If we don’t find solutions we run a risk of the whole academic year being wasted‚ if all stakeholders don’t act now‚” said Zuma

The Ministry of Higher Education and Training has gathered stakeholders for an Imbizo on fee adjustments at public universities in the hopes of finding short term solutions that will allow the academic year to proceed.

Zuma said “Education is a societal issue and we can not just depend on government and the universities to work alone..."

"This is not the time for grand-standing of one sector portraying itself as being better than others. It is a period of sound leadership from all of us‚ to find solutions."

Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande said the #FeesMustFall movement that started off legitimately has been hijacked by a minority of students threatening to bring down the higher education system.

• Only 45% of Wits students voted for it to reopen: Africa Check An independent fact-checking website said reports that 77% of University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) students voted for campus to reopen are incorrect.

"We meet as a small minority is determined to spread anarchy and to destroy those assets the nation has dedicated to the empowerment of the next generation with the knowledge and skills they need to contribute to the future of our advanced industrial economy. What started as legitimate and peaceful protests now seem to have been hijacked by elements who seem to want to collapse the system‚" he said.

"As a country‚ as a society‚ as students and teachers‚ as government and communities‚ we need to come together and find a solution to the current disruptions and to the attempts at wholesale destruction."

The government leaders comments came even as defiant students were rallying behind a new hashtag: #NoRetreatNoSurrender.

"I'm a final year medic. I want to graduate. I also want my siblings to graduate w/o having to worry about fees. #NoRetreatNoSurrender‚" Dr Bae ‏@Gontse_Gabbana tweeted.

J'Something ‏@JohnState4Real posted‚ "@WitsSRC LONG LIVE #UCTshutdown #NoRetreatNoSurrender" and the Wits SRC ‏@WitsSRC commended UCT student protesters for blocking academic access on Monday‚ stating "Long live the spirit of defiance long live! #UCTshutdown #NoRetreatNoSurrender".

- TMG Digital/The Times