---
title: "Photo essay: Day Zero"
description: "On Friday, students achieved a historic victory; after a week's protest they ensured there would be no fee increases at universities in 2016. While most students were peaceful in the march to the Union Buildings, a small group were determined to face off with police. GREG NICOLSON and SIBONISO MNCUBE bring you the pictures."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "South Africa"
author: "Greg Nicolson & Siboniso Mncube"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/gregnicolsonsibonisomncube/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2015-10-24-photo-essay-day-zero/"
published: "2015-10-24T08:36:01"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 26
---

# Photo essay: Day Zero

> On Friday, students achieved a historic victory; after a week's protest they ensured there would be no fee increases at universities in 2016. While most students were peaceful in the march to the Union Buildings, a small group were determined to face off with police. GREG NICOLSON and SIBONISO MNCUBE bring you the pictures.

By Greg Nicolson & Siboniso Mncube · Published 24 October 2015, 10:36 SAST

## Content

![After a fast-paced run, the first group of students arrived at the Union Buildings before 11:00 and marched around the grounds. (Greg Nicolson)](//www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/465x310q70_MG_6780.jpg)

![For hours, the aggressive group of students faced of with riot cops, who held their line, intermittently throwing stun grenades into the crowd. (Greg Nicolson)](//www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/465x310q70_MG_6882.jpg)

![A protestor stands on top of burning portable toilets outside the Union Buildings while President Zuma met student and university leaders inside. (Greg Nicolson)](//www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/465x310q70_MG_6949.jpg)

![A water canon rushes through the crowd at the Union Buildings. (Greg Nicolson)](//www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/465x310q70_MG_7057.jpg)

![Protestors on Friday continually attempted to breach the fence separating the Union Buildings from its gardens, creating a difficult time for police keeping them back. (Greg Nicolson)](//www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/465x310q70_MG_7205.jpg)

![For most of the day police used stun grenades and pepper spray to keep the hostile protesters back but in the afternoon they launched teargas. A recycling collector was caught up in the sting. (Greg Nicolson)](//www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/465x310q70_MG_7229.jpg)

![While a group of students were throwing stones at police and trying to get through the fence to the Union Buildings, others attempted peacefully to proceed past the barrier. (Greg Nicolson)](//www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/465x310q70_MG_7256.jpg)

![Incoming Wits SRC president Nompendulo Mkhatshwa leads a group of students outside the Union Buildings. (Greg Nicolson)](//www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/465x310q70_MG_7291.jpg)

![Image](//www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/465x310q70IMG_7048\(1\).jpg)" width="465" height="310" data-image-label="A protester in a green blanket, an obvious Marikana reference, sits on a tree at the Union Buildings. (Greg Nicolson)
" />

![A student holds his hands up in front of police, who fired teargas, rubber bullets and stun grenades in response to the protest on Friday. (Greg Nicolson)](//www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/465x310q70IMG_7075\(1\).jpg)

![A Wits student on the bus travels to the Union Buildings march against fee increases. (Siboniso Mncube)](//www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/465x310q70DSC_5583.jpg)

![A protester at the Union Buildings throws a rock at the police. (Siboniso Mncube)](//www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/465x310q70DSC_5702.jpg)

![Two demonstrators outside the Union Buildings take cover in the bushes from the teargas. (Siboniso Mncube)](//www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/465x310q70DSC_5792\(1\).jpg)

![While police withheld from firing rubber bullets for most of the day, in the afternoon they shot at protesters. This man displays his rubber bullet wound. (Siboniso Mncube)](//www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/465x310q70DSC_5820.jpg)

**DM**