Wits students protest over tuition fee increase

Oh and also because Wits got attention when they started protesting and TUT didn't.
 
They felt like it was a Wits + others protest. Don't know about that. They stole the show.
 
Hmmm... so does the 0% agreement still apply? If I recall(reading/hearing, don't recall where, maybe JZ flapping his jaw?), there was something along 'and students agree to go back to class/studies whatever'. So, if one side breaks it, why can't the other?
 
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Students vow to continue fight for free education for all

Mpho Raborife, News24

Johannesburg - Students at the University of Witwatersrand have vowed to continue their #FeesMustFall campaign until all their demands are met, including free quality education for all, they said on Saturday.

One of the students leading the movement, EFF's Wits leader Vuyani Pambo said the decision to continue with the campaign was made on Saturday afternoon on campus.

"The decision was made in a mass meeting today [Saturday] that we must continue because we didn't get what we wanted which is free education."

He said President Jacob Zuma's announcement on Friday that there would be no fee increase for the 2016 academic year was a step in the right direction, but students still had other demands which were not addressed.

The protest began last week Wednesday, when Wits students protested against a proposed 10.5% fee hike for 2016. Other tertiary institutions country-wide joined in the protests.

On Friday, President Jacob Zuma announced that university heads and students’ leaders had agreed on a zero percent fee increment for next year.

His announcement was met with mixed reactions from students. Some were happy that one of their demands had been met, some wanted to know when the government would implement the ultimate goal which was free education for all.

Pambo has described the #FeesMustFall campaign as an "ongoing conversation" and could not say whether there was an end in sight.

On Saturday, Wits Vice Chancellor Adam Habib expressed his disappointment at the students' decision to continue protesting.

"We are disappointed at their decision, as we feel that it will put in jeopardy the academic futures of many students who will not be able to pass or graduate. This will only further entrench and deepen the inequalities in our society."

He said a special meeting would be held on Monday by the senate, the institution's highest decision-making body, to discuss the protest and the resumption of the academic programme.

The outcome of the meeting would be communicated to all students and staff.

News24
Source
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/N...nue-fight-for-free-education-for-all-20151024
 
Lucas Buck said:
Does this mean that university staff will be getting a 0% raise next year?
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Looking at the following part of the announcement that was made on Friday:

The Vice-Chancellors and Chairs of Council represented through Universities South Africa today presented the following proposals to the joint meeting hosted by the Presidency at the Union Buildings in Pretoria:

1. All parties should collectively commit to a zero percent (0%) increase for 2016, with government stepping in to make up the difference.

2. Universities will independently commit to deliberate on their expenditure and make immediate efficiency gains.
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It seems there will be austerity measures. So indeed, staff increases may be less than they otherwise would have been. Moreover, certain infrastructure development may be halted, research budgets may be reduced, fewer teaching assistants may be employed (which will impact research time available for researchers), etc.
 
Wits students evacuated following bomb scare

JOHANNESBURG – Wits University has confirmed that students have been evacuated from Senate House due to a suspected bomb threat this morning.

It’s understood security guards in the basement saw a devise which they thought was dangerous.

Police and the bomb squad were called in.

The university’s Shirona Patel says everything has been cleared.

“It turns out it was all okay and that the device was not anything that could explode or anything like that. The students are now free to come back to the ground floor of the Senate House.”

Students had gathered at the building, which they now call Solomon Mahlangu House, to strategise on a way forward with their Fees Must Fall campaign.

On Saturday, they reached a deadlock with management, concluding that the university will remain on shutdown.

One of the students says he believes the bomb scare was just a ploy to get students out of the building.
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More at http://ewn.co.za/2015/10/25/Wits-students-evacuated-following-bomb-scare
 
Humberto said:
Looking at the following part of the announcement that was made on Friday:

It seems there will be austerity measures. So indeed, staff increases may be less than they otherwise would have been. Moreover, certain infrastructure development may be halted, research budgets may be reduced, fewer teaching assistants may be employed (which will impact research time available for researchers), etc.
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It was short sighted of them to agree on the 0% without a proper plan in place, when you look at the possible ripple effect that it will have over the coming years. The decision makers at universities are the ones getting well paid so it doesn't affect their pockets that much either. While miracles are expected from lecturers, researches and support staff who are forced to take on added responsibilities due to the lack of adequate funding. All this while the student enrollment numbers at undergraduate and postgraduate levels are increasing.
 
This is spreading all over the World. Read that New York and somewhere in Belgium as well carrying on with #feesmustfall and mentioning that its because of what happened here in SA.
 
MR.C said:
This is spreading all over the World. Read that New York and somewhere in Belgium as well carrying on with #feesmustfall and mentioning that its because of what happened here in SA.
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Has been ongoing for many years in many different countries in the past few years
 
AthenianOwl said:
Not good enough. We want free education. WHat's so difficult about making it happen? Force the rich to pay for it. Also what about those colonial remnants that we are seeing everywhere in SA? Jeezus, we are still stuck in the past.
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/offers to club in for free brain transplant.
 
Originally Posted by AthenianOwl View Post
Not good enough. We want free education. WHat's so difficult about making it happen? Force the rich to pay for it. Also what about those colonial remnants that we are seeing everywhere in SA? Jeezus, we are still stuck in the past.
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The irony!
 
This is honestly getting ridiculous. Most students want this to end including incoming SRC president Nompendulo "Ulo" Mkatshwa but this protest is being hijacked.
 
SammyD said:
This is honestly getting ridiculous. Most students want this to end including incoming SRC president Nompendulo "Ulo" Mkatshwa but this protest is being hijacked.
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It will end when the government makes an announcement regarding their plans.

There are 2 many articles about the ANC not knowing where the money is going to come from.

I also want the strike to end but I understand why some people are still striking. They do not trust government. A 0% increase is lovely but the masses couldnt afford paying 2014's prices and are in debt.

The government need to come up with a plan. A plan that reduces costs for poor people. Free education isnt possible but there is still a need for a reduction of fees.
 
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SammyD said:
This is honestly getting ridiculous. Most students want this to end including incoming SRC president Nompendulo "Ulo" Mkatshwa but this protest is being hijacked.
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'Democracy'. If most want it over, its over. It can only last if its supported. If the 'few' want to continue peacefully, they are free to do so. No one can force support. If they threaten, lay charges against the 'few'.

Just a note, do those who want to continue really believe that after what the world saw on friday they will get support from the average person in the street again? Police presence for these 'rioters*' is going to increase 10 fold, and I suspect no leniency will be given. The mob has shown it will not keep to their word and will not be peaceful. Government and students had an agreement. One side is now pre-empting that the other will do nothing, and continuing with its action. Government(whether it can be trusted or not) should at least be given some time to do what it agreed to do.

*Yes, I know some are peaceful, not calling you all rioters, just the thugs causing crap that seem to want blood.
 
I hope that the ANC loses votes. All of this will hopefully be worth it in the end.

I also realised that most black youth hate the DA and I honestly dont know how the DA will increase their voting base.

The only options we have are ANC and EFF.

Corruption vs nationalisation.

I wish these students protested etolls aswell.
 
arr0w said:
I hope that the ANC loses votes. All of this will hopefully be worth it in the end.

I also realised that most black youth hate the DA and I honestly dont know how the DA will increase their voting base.

The only options we have are ANC and EFF.

Corruption vs nationalisation+corruption.

I wish these students protested etolls aswell.
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FTFY
 
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