Released activist vows to continue fighting
PRETORIA: They will “continue fighting” – so declared University of Pretoria student Mosibudi Rassie Rasethaba after he was granted R1 000 bail in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court yesterday.
“My arrest should not kill our spirit, but rather encourage us to continue with our fight,” he said, addressing students outside of court.
“What we should do now is go back, sit down and restrategise. The university together with the State think that they can kill this fire, but we know that they will not kill this fire.”
He said after the fight for free, decolonised education was won, there was a need to shift the focus to the Correctional Services.
“Just looking at the space, black bodies are packed like sardines in an inhumane way.
“This shows the faults and holes in our criminal justice system.
“It is supposed to be a correctional centre, but it reinforces criminal behaviour.
“I don’t think anyone gets out of there reformed or rehabilitated and I think jail in itself needs to be reformed.”
Rasethaba, who was SRC president at Tuks during 2014/15, is being charged with two counts of public violence, which include trespassing and contravention of a court interdict and a malicious damage to property charge.
The charges stem from the ongoing #FeesMustFall protests.
His father, Marwala Rasethaba, said universities could address the matter of free education differently.
“I don’t think this is a campaign against the universities per se. It is a national issue and the university can participate in it as a facilitator.
“It is now them and us, but if they can operate as a university, students and university academics,” added Marwala He also said as much as they, as parents, supported the struggle, they did not condone the destruction of property and that dialogue was needed to address the issue.
“Universities need to rise above the conflict itself.
“They shouldn’t be seen as though they are part of the problem.”