South African president to meet university heads, students amid protests against tuition hikes

Protesting university students outside court, Thursday, Oct. 22, 2015 where fellow students appeared on charges related to the storming of the South African Parliament in Cape Town, South Africa, Wednesday. President Jacob Zuma will meet university managers and student leaders on Friday amid a wave of student protests against planned tuition hikes. (AP Photo/Nardus Engelbrecht) (The Associated Press)

Protesting university students outside court, Thursday, Oct. 22, 2015 where fellow students appeared on charges related to the storming of the South African Parliament in Cape Town, South Africa, Wednesday. President Jacob Zuma will meet university managers and student leaders on Friday amid a wave of student protests against planned tuition hikes. (AP Photo/Nardus Engelbrecht) (The Associated Press)

Protesting university students outside court, Thursday, Oct. 22, 2015 where fellow students appeared on charges related to the storming of the South African Parliament in Cape Town, South Africa, Wednesday. President Jacob Zuma will meet university managers and student leaders on Friday amid a wave of student protests against planned tuition hikes. (AP Photo/Nardus Engelbrecht) (The Associated Press)

The office of South African President Jacob Zuma says he will meet university managers and student leaders following a wave of student protests against planned tuition hikes.

Zuma's office says the meeting will happen Friday at government offices in the city of Pretoria. It quotes the president as saying the increasing costs of university education are putting a heavy burden on poor students and that a solution must be found.

South African police say 30 students were arrested during a protest against university tuition hikes outside parliament in Cape Town on Wednesday. The protest turned violent after students came through a parliament gate and approached the building.

Student protests were also held Wednesday in Pretoria, Johannesburg and other cities.