What do the students want?

by | Oct 2, 2016 | Featured 2

Students taking part in the #FeesMustFall protest have outlined internal lists of demands by students.

 

Student leaders at the universities have called for campuses shutdown in response to the announcement made by the higher education minister, Dr Blade Nzimande, earlier last week that there will be a tuition fee increase in 2017.

REVOLUTION: Wits students protest march towards the Chamber of Mines to hand over a memorandum of demands. Photo: Nokuthula Zwane

REVOLUTION: Wits students protest march towards the Chamber of Mines to hand over a memorandum of demands.                                                                                                                           Photo: Nokuthula Zwane

However the proposed 8% fee increase was not well accepted by the students who have demanded free education.
Wits University, University of Cape Town (UCT), University of Pretoria, University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, University of Limpopo, University of Johannesburg and Tshwane University of Technology are among the higher education institutions that are experiencing protest action.
Students taking part in the #FeesMustFall protest have outlined internal lists of demands by students.
The common thing that the students are proposing is no financial exclusion of any student at the education institutions, free quality, and decolonising education to students. The students further suggest that the universities must commit to clearance of all the historical debt of the students including the release of all degrees withheld due to fees outstanding.
Safety is still a concern to students. All students across the universities demand the removal of all private security on campuses. They demand that the police must be unarmed on campuses and no legal action should be taken against students who were suspended while participating in the current protest.
Transformation seems to be one of the key issues among other demands. The UCT students suggest that the university needs to look into a class discrimination policy, in conjunction with students, so as to ensure that only those who do not have the financial status to be in private accommodation are accommodated in the residence system.
The workers and students have expressed solidarity and they demand that there should be protection against victimisation for workers participating in protests and they must not be subject to any disciplinary action for partaking in the protest.
The UCT students are demanding that there should be a transparent and consistent insourcing process that includes students as active participants in the process.
Students proposed that accommodation fees should not be paid upfront at residences and students should be allowed to move in upon registration. Wits students have also demanded that residence fees must not increase.
“We will not stop until the ANC delivers on the promises it made 21 years ago,” said Kefentse Mkhari, incoming Wits SRC president.

 

 

 

Day 4: FeesMustFall 2016 regains momentum

by | Sep 22, 2016 | Featured 1

 

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Wits students marching for free education                                               Photo: Kyle Oberhozer

 

After a day of violence, rubber bullets, shock grenades and thrown stones, the Wits #Fees2017 protest on Thursday received what felt like new momentun after a meeting in Solomon House which sought to unite students from different politcal organisations, endorse leaders and  was opened by former #FeesMustFall leader Mcebo Dlamini.

Dlamini led a march of students from Education Campus to Solomon House in the afternoon. The protesters were allowed to march peacefully, escorted by Campus Control, with the police watching from a distance.

Dlamini was greeted at Solomon House, the place where last year he held centre stage as a student leader, with cheers from the students assembled.

But Dlamini quickly made clear that he was present only to support new leaders. Pointing at SRC president and Progressive Youth Alliance member Kefenste Mkhari,Wits Economic Freedom Fighters leader Koketso Poho as well as student activist Catherine Busisiwe Seabe, Dlamini said “These are the leaders that will deliver free education for us.”

Continuing, Dlamini declared that students “have the numbers” and if the government did not provide free education they would vote it out of power.

“If the ruling party does not provide free education, we are going to vote it out and put leadership that will prioritise education,” Dlamini said.

Dlamini was heckled by some protesters, including a group of female students near the front carrying sjamboks but he responded, “If you don’t like me it’s okay I don’t care I just want to work with you.”

Dlamini then handed the microphone off to Mkhari who emphasised that the student protest was peaceful and should remain so while condemning police violence. He said the movement was drawing a line against violence.

“Today we have separated the violent protesters from the non-violent protesters,” Mkhari said.

Worker’s representative Thandiswa Yaphi also spoke at Solomon House. She spoke about the unfair treatment of workers highlighting that Wits students should not allow the Matrix to operate until workers from Sizzlers, a cafe in the Matrix, who were dismissed are re-instated. She highlighted that insourcing was the solution for retail workers at Wits.

“There are no workers who are better than others, when I go to work I say I’m going to Wits not Sizzlers,” she said.

Seabe and the other student leaders then assigned some positions and broke the students into task teams that would deal with media, logistics and strategy. Dlamini also announced that a number of academics including struggle icon Ahmad Kathrada would be supporting the movement. The students are set to convene at Solomon House this evening to discuss a way forward for the protest.

 

Related Articles:

Wits Vuvuzela,  Universities shut down over #Fees2017. September, 19.

Wits Vuvuzela, Day 2 #Fees2017 roundup. September, 20.

Wits Vuvuzela, Third day of Wits #Fees2017 is shaken by clashes with the police, 21