October 21, 2015.
For Creamer in Johannesburg, I’m Leandi Kolver.
Making headlines:

More SA universities suspend lectures over fee hike protests.

Cosatu says the mini budget should acknowledge that "business as usual" was not viable.

And, four people have been killed in protest over Congo Republic president's planned extended rule.

 

The University of Pretoria and that of the Free State (or UFS) suspended lectures and examinations on Wednesday as students at the institution joined other campuses to protest against proposed tuition fee increases for next year.

The UFS said it had met with the Student Representative Council (SRC) to discuss the 2016 fee increase on Wednesday.

The University of Pretoria said lectures would be suspended to allow “peaceful engagement on key issues affecting the institution.”

Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande’s announcement on Tuesday that an agreement had been reached to cap fee increases at 6% was met with anger from protesters.

The students rejected Nzimande’s announcement and vowed to continue protesting for a no fee increase.

 

The Mid-Term Budget Policy Statement (or MTBPS) should acknowledge that "business as usual" was not viable anymore, the Congress of SA Trade Unions (or Cosatu) said on Tuesday.

The union federation said its position and expectations was that the Treasury’s statement would reflect the dire situation that the economy was in.

Cosatu said the MTBPS needed to align South Africa with the “key strategic objective” of becoming a “strong developmental state”.

Cosatu also urged the government to move away from its “conservative fiscal and monetary approach”.

 

At least four people demonstrating against plans to lift presidential term limits in Congo Republic were killed when police opened fire when the crowd refused to disperse, protesters said.

Thousands of opposition supporters took to the streets against Sunday's planned referendum on removing constitutional term limits for President Denis Sassou Nguesso, who has ruled the oil producer for all but five years since 1979.

When demonstrators refused to disperse, protesters said security forces turned their guns directly on the crowd.

Although Nguesso is barred from seeking a third term due to age and term limits, the 71-year-old is expected to be a candidate at elections scheduled for next year. His proposed constitutional reform would remove these restrictions.

Also making headlines:

Opposition parties have rejected the agreement to cap fee hikes at 6% for 2016

And, African cities would become a constant gridlock within the next ten years unless there were urgent interventions.

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That’s a roundup of news making headlines today