The protest actions of South African youth in the context of the current crisis of higher education

The article is devoted to the current problem of student and youth protest actions that took place in South Africa in 2015-2017. The author shows their influence on the political life of the country. The socioeconomic and ideological reasons for the initiation of the student riots are analyzed. The connection of protests with the general crisis of higher education in South Africa is traced. The study is based on the analysis of the South African print media of recent years. The author analyzes main events and results of the protests that took place in the autumn of 2015, the aggravation of the situation in the sphere of higher education in connection with the student riots in the autumn of 2016, and the unsuccessful attempt to hold the Higher Education National Convention in March 2017. These events became the stages of the movement “Fees must fall” for the abolition of universities fees. The author evaluates the participation of modern youth and student parties and associations in the protests. It is noted that youth and student protests are used by the left and radical parties of the South African political spectrum in the struggle for influence in the country.