Business as usual for finals

Students in KwaZulu-Natal are expected to go back to class and write exams this week, write Lungani Zungu and Nkululeko Nene

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Durban - After almost two weeks of student protests against tertiary fee hikes sweeping across the country and spilling into London, KwaZulu-Natal universities were confident things would be back to normal tomorrow as exams resume.

It was President Jacob Zuma’s announcement on Friday of zero fee increases for next year that cooled off the furious students and parents across the country. This was after a high-level meeting with vice-chancellors, ministers and student representatives.

Although South African Students Congress (Sasco) said it welcomed the decision to scrap the fee increment, provincial secretary, Phinda Mofokeng, warned that the Department of Higher Education and vice-chancellors were not off the hook until free education was fully achieved.

“We are fine with the fact that fee increases have been scrapped, but we still have issues which were left hanging. We need to meet the department and vice-chancellors to avoid a repeat of the protests next year.”

Mofokeng said: “There were students who were excluded from varsities after failing to pay their fees last year. We want them admitted back in the system.”

Mofokeng said they had met their constituencies and agreed to suspend the protest after the announcement was made.

He said students across the country were determined to prepare for their final examinations.

“We urge the government to put a stop to wasting millions on state enterprises because that money could benefit poor students.”

University of KwaZulu-Natal spokesman, Lesiba Seshoka said they anticipated no further demonstration by students.

“I must say that we don’t know what’s going to happen next week, but we believe that students will abandon the protest action and resume their classes,” he said.

Zwelakhe Shangase spokes-man for Mangosuthu University of Technology said only the processing of the new student applications had been crippled by the protest.

“The protest has had an impact on our new applications, but we will be able to cover the backlog,” he said.

On Friday, thousands of students marched down the busy Pixley KaSeme (West) Street to the ANC’s provincial office in Stalwart Simelane (Stanger) Street to hand over a list of their grievances.

Traffic came to a standstill and motorists were forced to use alternative routes. Although, the march was peaceful, police had their hands full as they controlled the crowd. There were no reports of incidents of police clashing with students.

After a long walk from Curries Fountain Stadium the students, chanting revolutionary songs, stopped at the city hall. From there, they proceeded to the ANC’s offices.

ANC provincial executive committee member, Bheki Ntuli, signed and accepted the memorandum on behalf of the party’s provincial secretary, Sihle Zikalala.

Things nearly spiralled out of control outside the ANC offices when prominent Economic Freedom Fighters member, Jackie Shandu was jeered-off by students. This is after he accused the ANC of neglecting students.

UKZN Westville campus Student Representative Council (SRC) president, Lukhanyo Mtshingana complained that there were many unresolved issues at the university.

Mtshingana had recently been released from prison after he was charged for public violence.

“The protest against fee hike started here, but it was suppressed by the management by arresting SRC members. I have spent 31 days in prison and other charges were lifted because I was found not guilty. I prefer not to go near the campus for now,” Mtshingana said.

The deputy chairwoman of the ANC Youth League at the UKZN medical school, Lusanda Zwane argues that the scrapping of the fee increment was just an interim measure.

She said the exorbitant registration fees still stand. Zwane also said that top of their demands was the change of the curriculum.

“Medical school fees are R40 400 a year and how is this decision going to help a poor student who needs to register next year? This will definitely exclude them from the system like others who dropped out. We also need the university to do away with outsourcing of cleaners and security staff.

“They also need to benefit like other staff in the administration and be able to enrol their children with the help of the university they work for.

“This is a noble call we are making to the management. To break the cycle of poverty, we need to help them get their children educated. Education cannot be for the rich only. They keep universities safe and clean by working odd hours with low pay,” Zwane said.

KZN police spokesman, Major Thulani Zwane told the Sunday Tribune that the protest had been peaceful and no students had been arrested.

Sunday Tribune

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