Zukiswa Wanner is a South African journalist and novelist currently living in Nairobi. Photo/FILE
The invitation came telephonically in
September. Would I be free to facilitate a book launch for Panashe
Chigumadzi’s debut novel, Sweet Medicine and take part in the Es’kia Mphahlele colloquium at University of Witwatersrand? I said yes to both.
Last week Monday, with Wits still on shutdown, convenor Dr Danai Mupotsa sent all participants an e-mail.
The
colloquium had been cancelled on account of the #FeesMustFall protests
that had been going on at Wits. The university was, after all, closed. I
was still expected to attend as the launch was still on for Saturday.
Upon
arrival in Johannesburg last week on Wednesday, I went to Wits to find
out what the students were fighting about. The document of demands that I
saw was nothing but revolutionary.
In
my mind, I immediately apologised for all the time I have accused this
continent’s youngsters born after 1990 of being individualistic and
worse, writing e-mails in SMS language. Their 10-point plan demanded:
1. A release of the ‘No fees university Report’ that the minister of Higher Education had commissioned.
In
2012, the Minister of Higher Education commissioned a report on the
feasibility of students studying at tertiary institutions without paying
fees. Until last week, the report had not been released.
Last
week it was leaked to the Mail & Guardian and as the students
suspected, South Africa is financially able to educate its students to
university level on a ‘no fee’ policy.
2. That the minister announce and clearly commits that there will be no fee increment for 2016.
On Friday, the President acceded to the students’ zero percent fee increase demand.
3. That the minister announce a fee reduction for 2016 for institutes of higher learning.
This was ignored.
4. That the minister makes a commitment to propose the legislation of higher education at the next National Assembly sitting.
This was ignored.
5. That the minister shows he has plans to end outsourcing of workers at institutions of higher learning.
Students
feel that university workers should be able to get contracts from the
universities so that they can join unions and be able to negotiate for
their labour rights as a group without fear of victimisation. This was
ignored.
6. That the minister announces and agrees that Financial Aid is extended to agricultural colleges.
Land
in South Africa, as in Kenya, is still very much a big political issue.
It made sense that the students were asking that future
agriculturalists be allowed to study without financial burden. This was
ignored.
7. The minister publicly
declares that staff and students that elect to exercise their
constitutional right to protest are not subjected to any disciplinary
action.
University of Cape Town
students were getting arrested for the same protest with ridiculous
charges and the students wanted to protect themselves legally. This
request was ignored.
8. That African nationals pay as local South Africans do. This includes the removal of international levies them.
In a country known for its Afrophobia, this was an admirable demand brought forward by the students. It was ignored.
9. That students with outstanding fees are not prevented by any institution from writing exams.
This
has been a big problem for poor students. A year of work done, and
because of outstanding fees, exams are not written. This was ignored.
10. That all Vice Chancellors, members of Council and management are held accountable for disingenuous actions against students.
In
light of the arrests of students in Cape Town and the call of police to
campus, this was again as valid as all the other demands. And like
eight of the demands above, it was ignored.
The cancelled colloquium did not seem as important any more after I read these demands.
I
was honoured to be there last Wednesday night as the students held
candles and sang the pre-1994 version of Nkosi Sikelel’a Africa.
As
they asked, in solidarity with their beaten colleagues in Cape Town,
Senzeni na (what have we done?) and as they defiantly but soulfully sang
that Brenda Fassie popularised Memeza (Shout) and as they looked at a
government that had let them down on education as a right and sang to
their fellow colleagues Thuma Mina (send me).
Chigumadzi
would proceed to cancel her launch as she felt it was frivolous to be
celebrating her and her book at a time when she should be joining her
fellow students in this very important umzabalazo (struggle).
I was honoured to be around and be that person that Baldwin talked about. A witness.
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