ANC Youth League (ANCYL) welcomes the removal of Rhodes statue but reiterates that the struggle for substantive decolonisation of the University of Cape Town (UCT) has only just begun

9 April 2015

As we celebrate our heroes who stood firm against colonialism, namely Solomon Mahlangu, Chris Hani and Oliver Tambo in this month of April, the ANCYL Western Cape welcomes the long-overdue removal of the Cecil John Rhodes statue at UCT following the mass campaign led by students of UCT.

We congratulate the brave students of UCT who began and sustained this campaign through selfless sacrifice, determination, critical engagement, and unity.

The ANCYL Provincial Chairperson Muhammad Khalid Sayed said, "Throughout the campaign the students remained a focussed collective within the context of their diversity. Whilst welcoming the assistance of outside formations, the students remained at the centre of the struggle and defined its character. We have indeed learnt from your leadership during this time".

We are also thankful to the ANCYL activists of UCT who have formed part of this broader collective student-led effort towards the decolonisation and transformation of UCT.

Regarding the involvement of UCT ANCYL activists, the Provincial Chairperson said, "This particular campaign and your involvement therein has not only revived the ANCYL at UCT and the broader Progressive Youth Alliance (PYA) as a whole, but it has shown that progressive gains can be made if we work constructively in solidarity and unity with everyone towards our common goals with no attempts to hijack".

The ANCYL also reiterates that this student-led campaign from its very onset was never solely about the removal of the statue but was directed at decolonising and transforming UCT as an educational institution for the benefit of the disadvantaged majority with the removal of the statue being a stimulus. Institutions of higher learning should be the embodiment of what society should look like as they are centres of knowledge and excellence.

The Provincial Chairperson said, "The removal of the statue indicates that indeed students have the power to decolonise the institution. The struggle for transformation at UCT has just begun with this student-led victory".   

The ANCYL believes that the statue of Rhodes was an embodiment of black alienation and disempowerment at the hands of UCT's institutional white culture which its pervasive liberalism perpetuates and entrenches.

The findings of the 2008 Report of the Ministerial Committee on Transformation and Social Cohesion and the Elimination of Discrimination in Public Higher Education Institutions in fact indicate that blacks are alienated and disempowered at UCT due to its institutional white culture.

The ANCYL will continue to actively support the broader collective of UCT students in the pursuit of the demands for the overall educational transformation of UCT by supporting the following demands which were made by the students themselves from the very onset of the campaign:

Implementation of a curriculum which treats African discourses as the point of departure - through addressing not only content, but languages and methodologies of education and learning.

Provision of financial and research support to black academics and staff.

Radical change in the representation of black lecturers across faculties.

UCT must revise the limitations placed on access to senior positions for black academics.

There must be an increase in the representation of black academics on the currently white and male dominated decision making bodies.

UCT must re-evaluate the standards by which research areas are decided. There must be a shift from focusing on areas that are lucrative to areas that are relevant to the lives of black people locally and on the African continent.

UCT must introduce a curriculum and research scholarship linked to social justice and the experiences of black people.

UCT must adopt an admissions policy that explicitly uses race as a proxy for disadvantage, prioritising black applicants.

Improvement of academic support programmes.

Meaningful interrogation as to why black students are most often at the brunt of academic exclusion.

Development of an improved financial aid system.

Fees reduction.

UCT must improve facilities which deal with sexual assault, as well as facilities which help black students deal with the psychological trauma as a result of racism.

We believe that the Department of Higher Education and Training must make a concerted effort to ensure that transformation actually takes place at our academic institutions for the benefit of the majority of our youth. Universities must not merely pay lip service to transformation policies.

As the ANCYL we believe that the decolonisation and transformation of our academic institutions will ensure that we are adequately equipped to realise the success of our generational mission which remains Economic Freedom in Our Lifetime.  

Statement issued by Marissa Van Rensburg, ANCYL Western Cape Provincial Deputy Secretary and Siyabulela Tom, ANCYL Western Cape PEC Member, April 9 2015

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