Academic staff at Wits stand in solidarity with protesting students They say the concessions on free education made after the fees must fall movement seemed not to have alleviated pressure on either students or academic staff. Protesting students march back to Braamfontein along Solomon & Smit streets on 15 March 2021. Picture: @JoburgMPD/Twitter one hour ago JOHANNESBURG - Academic staff at Wits University on Thursday said the current funding challenge faced by the higher education sector threatened the long-term survival of public institutions. They say the concessions on free education made after the fees must fall movement seemed not to have alleviated pressure on either students or academic staff.