Activists question motives of march

STUDENT activists are at loggerheads with #Save Our Universities over their planned march to Parliament ahead of Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan’s medium-term budget this week.

The activists questioned the motivations behind the# Save Our Universities demonstration as it would take place the same time as theirs.

Using Facebook and other social media, #Save Our Universities invites former alumni, academics, parents and civil society to march with them to Parliament on Wednesday.

Western Cape Premier Helen Zille used her Twitter account to rally her 1.2 million followers to join.

However, #FeesMustFall activists are mobilising with the intention to show their unity in the call for free and decolonised education and the end to outsourcing.

Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) student activist Lonwabo Madikane said they had demanded in their mass assembly last week for their executive to join them. “What does the premier know of what is happening, as in the past she dismissed the brutality students face on universities.”

A University of Western Cape (UWC) student activist, who asked not to be named, said they rejected the #Save Our Universities movement.

“The premier and those associated with this movement are coming from the perspective of privilege and can’t speak to the country’s greater context.

“We will approach our university management about the march because if they are truly with students, this will show their commitment.”

She said this would help mend the trust between students and UWC management after recent events.

Zille’s spokesperson Michael Mpofu did not respond to questions yesterday.

University of Cape Town student activist Simon Rakei said# Save Our Universities was a march to justify more funding.

“Our movement has so far been unpartisan, and theirs shows signs of political hijacking. We are mobilising our members, workers, religious organisations, social organisations and civil society to march with us in solidarity.”

CPUT spokesperson Lauren Kansley said the march was one of the many issues discussed by the university council at the weekend.