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Several weeks ago, almost 500 students at Witwatersrand University attempted to get management to reduce annual fee increases. Many students were not pleased with the recently announced increases. Rumours of the privatisation of residences were also circulating around campus, adding to the tension.
A protest was organised by several student groups. It was though this was the best way tp present their grievances to management.
They planned to disrupt regular classes as part of the protest, bringing the university to a standstill.
University fees are going up by an average of 10% a year. While this is high, causing trouble for many students, it is no higher than the general inflation rate of the country.
Regardless of how much of a government subsidy it receives, or how much cash it takes in, a University is always spending money.
This rationalizes the fee increase but that does not make it any easier on students who are already struggling.
There were some students who acted irresponsibly during the protest. But, for the most part, it seemed to be well organised and non-aggressive. For the first few hours there was almost a jocular atmosphere. What changed, I don’t know. By the time I caught up, two students had been arrested. New SRC treasurer Andile Makholwa and outgoing SRC president Mbali Hlope were taken into custody.
They were ostensibly arrested on charges of assault. Their real crime was to lose control of the mob they were supposed to be directing.
The presence of the police only exacerbated the situation. It was a serious error of judgement for the authorities to have been called onto campus.
Head of Wits Security, Rob Kemp, later admitted to having placed the phone call.
Although they flexed their collective muscles, the students really accomplished very little at the end. Several weeks later, it is like it never happened at all.
For more information on the wits protests take a look at these articles:
Chaos’ at Wits during student protests (M&G)
Protests, talks at Wits to continue (M&G)
Wits students arrested (News24)
This column was going to be about student apathy. Unfortunately, with students running through the halls, carrying placards and chanting, that topic just doesn’t seem appropriate.
It is really great to see students taking action about something that concerns them. Voter turnout for the SRC elections this year was practically an all-time low. This might be a comment on how the average student views the SRC, but it is also an indicator that students are unconcerned about the administrative side of varsity life.
However today’s events have shown students, who are not just members of SAUJS or the PSC, are still prepared to stand up for what they believe in. And what they believe is that huge increases in registration, faculty and international student fees and the privatisation of res are unacceptable.
Despite reports by radio 702, the protest was peaceful. As peaceful as hundreds of students marching into lecture halls can be. Nobody has been hurt, nobody has been flogged with a sjambok (a far cry from the riot of two years ago), there has been no property damage. So far it has been a model protest.
At frequent stops during the march, the organisers would explain the reasons for the protest. They asserted again and again that it was a “peaceful, informed and educated” protest. This is to be applauded.
However, these intellectual leaders seem to have had little input into the wording of the poster that advertised the march.
I quote: “Yo registration & fees r increasing…..this tym we r all affected…”
Although I consider myself fairly up to date with popular culture, I have several questions about this sentence. Who is ‘Yo’ and what the hell is a ‘tym’?’
Maybe this poster was written in a colloquial manner to appeal to a broad range of people. But wait a second. Isn’t this protest on a university campus? Aren’t the protestors students?
When you are accepted into university, you join a very small, very lucky percentage that will receive a higher education. Regardless of what you do with this education, you are expected to work to a certain standard. One of the very small, very lucky measures of this standard is spelling and language.
I fail to see how this poster is enhanced by the clipped, unexpressive use of mobile language. When I first saw it, attached to the door of the building I work in, I thought it was a joke, executed by students who have a grudge against the SRC.
It is doubtful that any academic or administrative staff member would be able to read this poster with a straight face. It only detracts from the clear and well thought-out aims the protest organisers are working for.
My heart is with the marchers, but my head is still puzzled by this abuse of written language. For the record, my gut is still heaving with laughter.
“For your rights do something” is another fine example of the poster’s text. Well language also has rights, or rules, and my request to the poster-maker is to respect them.
