Kameel Premhid, Democratic Alliance Students' Organisation Chairman at UKZN Howard College reacts to the strikes which have been plaguing the University over the past week.
Much like the South African labour market, UKZN has experienced its traditional strike season. Worryingly, this strike has also become characterised by a disregard for due process and student rights.
Unlike previous strikes, the strikes which occurred at the Westville campus were condemned by the Central SRC and University Management. In a communique sent to the University Community by the Central SRC dated February 13th 2012, the Central SRC states: "With that being said, we call upon all mass actions across all UKZN campuses to be terminated with immediate effect and student leadership is urged to go back to the discussion table to find solutions in order to make sure that students are not further compromised."
Yet, throughout the week following this instruction, SASCO continued with its illegal protest at Westville campus. The University was forced to obtain a High Court interdict the following day (February 14th 2012) interdicting students from protesting. Despite this being granted, SASCO continued its violent protest and lectures were suspended February 14th and 15th 2012.
After arrests were made and the University managed to gain some control of the situation, with the assistance of the South African Police Force, lectures recommenced on February 16th 2012. Whilst by the end of the week all seems quiet, there are several questions which need to be addressed.
1. Will the University hold its nerve and ensure that the law runs its course?
On previous occasions, due to political pressure, the University has been known to not press charges and in some instances even bail out those who were responsible for organising the illegal strikes. Whilst the University must be commended for trying to get this situation under control, the University's previous lack of decisiveness has left much to be desired.
The failure of the University to ensure that strong action is taken does not create the deterrent that is needed for those who abuse their democratic rights of protest. Rather it creates the impression that lectures may be disrupted and that the institution can be held to ransom.
The University bears a moral and legal duty to ensure that the infringement of the rights of any student to learn in a safe and conducive environment must be protected. Failure will merely perpetuate this destructive cycle and will damage the University's reputation as an institution of serious learning.
2. Will SASCO and Other Political Parties Finally Support DA Youth and DASO in Calling for Reform of NSFAS?
The DA Youth and DASO have on several occasions called for significant reforms of the National Students' Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS). We believe that the current structure of NSFAS, the bracket of people to which loans are offered and the under-spending of R40million in allocated funds further compounds the problem. Despite our call to President Zuma to address these serious issues, none were taken. The President and his Cabinet have failed to adequately speak to the aspirations of young people and have failed in allowing education to be the mechanism through which young people can better themselves and those around them.
We have noted with grave concern the willingness of youth politicians willing to use their public platform and influence to challenge the President for their own benefit rather than that of the young people they supposedly serve. We would think it better for these youth politicians to take the lead from the DA Youth and DASO and engage with the President on policies such as these. The young people of this country will thank them for using their supposed political influence to make the necessary changes to make their lives better. Those same young people will never forgive them if such an opportunity is squandered. And neither will we.
3. Will the President engage us on the Policy?
As per our media statement issued on February 5th 2012:
"The DA Youth believes that the doors of higher learning need to be open to all South Africans that have the talent and commitment to qualify for admission to university, regardless of their circumstances, and that no individual deserving and capable of attending a tertiary institution should be unable to on the basis of finance. The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), designed to enable this process, is currently fraught with red tape and is not reaching nearly as many needy students as it either could or should. Since the scheme's inception, only 19% of NSFAS beneficiaries have successfully graduated from university."
At the University of Pretoria, the first ever DASO President of that university's equivalent of an SRC, Mthokozisi Nkosi spent the better part of the last year and a half fighting financial exclusion and promoting fair access to financial aid. During this period he managed to raise R24 000 to assist students who needed financial aid, and sourced funding for approximately 137 students to prevent their financial exclusion from that university. This campaign was supplemented by a "Donate-a-Textbook" campaign, which raised nearly R15 000 to ensure equal access to academic study materials.
The ANC and aligned student organisations such as SASCO ought to use DASO's determination to stamp out inequality at Universities as an example of how to ensure fairer access to financial aid. The failure of the President to do so will doom thousands of young people and many more young people of the future to living the life of a second-class citizen. The DA Youth and DASO urge the President to show the political leadership necessary and combat the vested interest within his ruling alliance so that he may act in the best interest of all South African young people.
This deplorable situation will not be solved unless serious action is taken. The University can try its best to ensure that adequate private capital is aimed at alleviating the plight of financially deserving students where NSFAS does not come through. Given the global economic climate however, we are doubtful that even its best efforts would adequately take care of the problem. Should the government fail to do so, it will allow a small minority to hold the majority of students to ransom.
The vast majority of students who go to University on a daily basis do not come from wealth or privilege, but are students who understand the value of education in bettering their lives and their families' circumstances. The government cannot allow the aspirations and desires of these hard working young people to be sacrificed on the altar of political point-scoring. It is unfortunate that these students cannot do anything to enforce their rights and are held to ransom by a lawless minority.
The government must do everything in its power to ensure that the majority of students can give effect to the right to learn. Whilst DASO accepts that students have the right to strike, it must be of utmost importance that when that right is exercised unreasonably or is coupled with mob violence, it cannot be supported. As such DASO condemns in the strongest possible terms the protest action which occurred at UKZN and the failure of Mr Zuma and his government to do anything about it.
Kameel Premhid is Chairman of the Democratic Alliance Students' Organisation: University of KwaZulu-Natal
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