BID FOR CALM AT WITS
Students rise up against bail denial
WITS University retreated from what appeared to be the brink of a complete meltdown last night, as the fees increase impasse reached a tipping point.
After simmering tensions, triggered by the denial of bail to former Student Representative Council president and one of the #FeesMustFall leaders, Mcebo Dlamini, it turned out to be a peaceful day on campus as students dedicated the day to planning a way forward.
Dlamini, who faces charges of public violence, theft, malicious damage to property and assault with intent to do grievous body harm, all of which relate to his role in the protests, was denied bail in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court yesterday.
Magistrate Albertus Roux said that releasing Dlamini would be not be in the best interests of justice as the evidence before the court proved the accused would not be able to maintain peaceful protests.
The magistrate said Dlamini would remain in custody until his next court appearance on November 15.
Wits welcomed the decision, but the verdict proved a double-edged sword for the university.
After the decision, angry students left the court singing Struggle songs and then headed for the main campus in Braamfontein, where they convened a mass meeting.
A peace accord meeting at a church in Braamfontein was moved to Solomon Mahlangu House.
It got off to a shaky start when the students chased away Wits vice-chancellor Adam Habib. They shouted at Habib, branding him a “sinner” and said he should release Dlamini before he could speak to them.
“It won’t be political for Adam Habib to stand in front of us and say he wants fee education whereas he will be the first to try any student who has been protesting,” said one student.
Habib said he and his management team had been invited to the meeting by the Academic Staff Association of Wits University, the Holy Trinity Church and religious leaders.
He said Wits management remained committed to working with students in trying to find solutions to the issues, many of which could be resolved only at the national level.
“We recognise passions are inflamed and that we should not take the reactions of some student leaders personally,” he said, adding that the university wanted to complete the 2016 academic year while at the same time addressing higher education funding.
Prominent South Africans, such as former public protector Thuli Madonsela, Cosatu founding leader Jay Naidoo and for- mer general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi, South African Council of Churches general secretary Bishop Malusi Mpumlwana as well as Holy Trinity Church’s Father Graham Pugin attended the meeting.
The students shared their trauma at being attacked by the police in their respective residences, following the implementation of a curfew they equated with apartheid era policies.
They lambasted the media for not being there to report on the “shooting”, “teargassing” and “racial profiling”.
“In the village I come from, everyone is in debt, and that’s why I’m fighting. For the people back there and for my children!” said one student.
Mpumlwana reaffirmed the church’s support for #FeesMustFall and asked to see student Arthur Muhamelwa, who was allegedly abducted, tortured and dumped in Limpopo by the police.
Muhamelwa limped onto stage and received a hug from the bishop and then went away with both the bishop and Pugin.
Vavi promised to collect supplies and to gather support from workers for the students’ protest action.
Earlier in the day, student leaders Vuyani Pambo and Busisiwe Seabe spoke of how they were gathering support for a day of protest when they would “shut down the country”.
Seabe said she had the support of the South African National Taxi Council.
She added that in other countries, their supporters would march to South African embassies and ask for sanctions against the country until their goal was met.
Madonsela’s arrival on stage, in contrast to Vavi’s, was met with cheerful singing.
She said she was there as a parent and a Wits alumni.
Madonsela apologised on behalf of the “grown-ups” who forgot about the struggles that the students were facing and thanked the students for reminding them of what was promised in the constitution and what Struggle stalwarts such as Nelson Mandela fought for.
However, she added she would be remiss if she did not call for a more peaceful way of achieving the goal of “free, equal and decolonised education”. – Additional reporting by ANA
PROGRESSED pupils will now be able to write their matric exams in batches in an effort to increase their chances of passing.
The progression policy means that a pupil can fail only once in each phase.
Dr Rufus Poliah, chief director for public examinations and assessments at the Department of Basic Education, said because the department was aware that progressed pupils might have a problem passing, the multi-exam system would make it easier for them.
“Why should we ask learners to write all six subjects in one exam sitting? What we have done is allow only progressed learners to write exams over time,” he said.
Pupils have until they receive their preliminary exam results to decide whether they want to write their final exams in batches or not.
Exams can be written in December and June next year.
The results will then be combined and a candidate will be issued with a matric certificate.
The progression policy has come under fire for promoting pupils who are not ready for the grades and burdening teachers.
But Poliah defended the system, saying it was not a new thing.
“Progression has been in the system for a long time. Where it has attracted attention is where it is applied in the further education and training band. Last year, when we received complaints, it was that learners were not coping with Grade 12,” he said.
The matric class of 2016 has about 104 000 progressed pupils.