There will be no increase in fees at South African universities in 2016, President Jacob Zuma announced on Friday.

“On the matter at hand, there will be a zero increase of fees in 2016,” he said after meeting with students at the Union Buildings following ten days of protests.

Zuma said the meeting agreed that government must look at a range of issues regarding education.

“These include free education, institutional autonomy, racism, accommodation and what the students call ‘black debt’, to mention a few,” the president added in his first formal pronouncements since the crisis spread from Wits to universities across the country.

Earlier, students lit fires on the lawns of the Union Buildings and hurled projectiles at State Security Minister David Mahlobo. Police retaliated with stun grenades.

Zuma pleaded with students to have the patience to allow government to find solutions to their demands in the long term.

“Government understands the difficulties faced by students from poor households and urge all affected to allow the process to unfold to find long-term solutions in order to ensure access to education by our students.”

Students have been protesting across South Africa over the mooted fee hikes for next year. Thousands of students arrived at the Union Buildings on Friday morning ahead of Zuma’s meeting with students, university council representatives, and vice-chancellors.

They went on the rampage to showcase their discontent with the fee increases.