Students reject fees cap

Rhodes University students who were singing with their hands chained, removed employees from the university’s Administration Building at about noon yesterday.

This followed the students dissatisfaction with Monday’s announcement made by Minister of Higher Education and Training Blade Nzimande on universities’ tuition fee adjustments for 2017.

Nzimande announced an 8 percent cap on fee increases for next year, along with the government’s commitment to assisting students who come from poor and working class families and those who come from mid-level income families.

The minister said this referred to those who qualify for National Student Financial Scheme as well as children of poor, working and middle class families whose household income was up to R600 000 a year.

After he made the announcement on Monday, Rhodes University Vice-Chancellor (VC) Dr Sizwe Mabizela issued a statement welcoming the minister’s statement.

The students brought lectures and tutorials to a halt on Wednesday to show their dissatisfaction with the statement.

Yesterday Rhodes University Student Representative Council (SRC) President, Gift Sandi said the SRC was still deliberating in meetings as students were unwilling to accept recommendations.

He said the students yesterday barricaded entrances to certain buildings around campus. Sandi said it was unclear when things would return to normal at Rhodes University after all academic activities were suspended on Wednesday.

“The students, the building and obviously staff were evacuated and the building was closed. We met with the students as the SRC and they still see the SRC as a puppet of the university.

“We are still having meetings as the SRC and discussing how to tackle this matter. The VC has agreed that he will contact other VCs from other universities in the province and discuss ways of engaging with provincial government who will have to take up the grievances to national government.

“In the meeting that we had with management yesterday we resolved to suspend all activities for this week and the management is fully supporting us,” said Sandi.

Mabizela and his staff met with the students on Wednesday afternoon, but the meeting didn’t yield any positive results as the students maintained that they wanted nothing but free education in 2017.

The VC addressed the students on the lawn that afternoon and he explained why the university welcomed the Minister’s recommendations. He also condemned the students’ disruption of classes during the morning of Wednesday.

He said any protests against the minister’s statement, or any demand for an across-theboard zero fee increase would be unfair.

“In any debate regarding next year’s fee adjustments, you must take out all the students whose family income is less than R600 000. You must take them out of the equation because for them what has been announced by the minister is a zero fee increase.

“We must advance social justice and we must do everything possible to address the inequalities in our society. We must acknowledge that what the minister has put forward is not adequately addressing the challenges that face our higher education system.

“The minister was quite clear that what he was proposing was an arrangement for 2017. He acknowledged that there are bigger issues which have been raised by the students which are legitimate.

“There was a call for free education for the poor and his response to that was there is a Fee Commission that is looking on that matter. He said let us allow that process to run its course and once that is concluded there will be an engagement,” said Mabizela

He said the university has committed itself to do everything possible to ensure that all academically deserving students acquire a decent higher education.

He said the statement was a progressive step in terms of addressing the inequalities.

The VC said it was important that there was a recognition of the very important segment of the university student population that has been referred to as the “missing middle”.

These include children of nurses, police officers, teachers and others who can’t afford to pay university fees, but who don’t qualify for financial aid under the National Student Fi- nancial Aid Scheme.

Mabizela said a group of Rhodes University students today disrupted lecturers, barricaded certain part of the university and buildings, intimidated lecturers and staff members in their offices were forced out.

“That is unacceptable. We respect personal rights in this university. No one has the right to interfere with the right of others. If we want our rights to be respected, we must respect the rights of others.

“Action will be taken against anyone who breaches the disciplinary code of this university.

“You can exercise your exercise right to protest, but do so within the bounds of the law,” he said.

“Our position as Rhodes University on the issue of funding for higher education is very clear,” said Mabizela.

Susi Vetter, a professor at Rhodes, read a statement drafted by the university staff, academics and management.

“Youth is our country’s future, yet too many talented young people continue to struggle to access or complete higher education due to financial barriers.

“As university staff and students we witness with distress and frustration the difficulties our economically disadvantaged students have to go through.

“We share with our students the disappointment in the outcome of government deliberation and the continued lack of support for higher education.

“We can no longer wait with our arms crossed for government to adequately fund institutions of higher learning.

“We urge our government to provide the necessary support to ensure that higher education is accessible to all.”

Mabizela said the statement would be sent to the national government.

A student, Londiwe Mntambo, speaking on behalf of other students, said it was not right for Mabizela and his staff to criminalise the shutting down and disruption of classes, labelling it as violence.

“We don’t say we don’t have money for an increase... we’re saying we don’t have money for fees,” Mntambo said.

“We don’t say we can’t afford Rhodes University... we’re saying we can’t afford university in this country at all.

Meanwhile, Walter Sisulu University also issued a statement yesterday Monday saying that it has resolved to start looking at the options it has on the table.

“The university will, as is customary, be engaging with relevant stakeholders and thereafter present a consolidated recommendation to University Council for approval at their November meeting.

“The adjusting of fees is a council responsibility and decisions and pronouncements on this rest solely on council’s shoulders. “WSU has already started looking at 2017 expenses, information that will help determine the appropriate fee rate that would allow the university to function effectively and without hindrances,” read the statement.

“You can’t say go to a cheaper university, and that’s not the conversation we want to have. The aims of the shutdown is a rejection of the university’s acceptance of the minister’s reccomendations.

“It’s a rejection of any anticipated fee increment.

“It is also meant to reiterate our call for free education. We won’t be accepting a fee increase. We want a decrease, with a plan for a free education.”

Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University was still closed yesterday after attempts to negotiate with students on Tuesday failed.

Acting Vice-Chancellor Dr Sibongile Muthwa said in a statement published on their website on Tuesday that they do not believe that resuming university operations this week would be a viable option.

Fort Hare University announced a zero percent fee increase for next year.