Changing labour market requires full engagement in mass education
A MESSAGE to the public as well as the students of 2018 and hereafter:
The ground that has been made in negotiations for free higher education by those of us who will/can no longer attend university has been made in part for ourselves, in part for you and in part for society.
Starting with the necessity of free higher education for society, it is of great importance to note the impact of technology and artificial intelligence on the dynamics of the labour force within the next 10 years. We are seeing the increased use of machines to take over manual labour tasks as they are cheaper, don’t strike for higher wages, can be easily replaced and are more efficient (a capitalist home run).
This entails that a massive part of our population, being black and unskilled will no longer be able to obtain jobs in the manual labour market (hard enough as it is already).
It is thus absolutely imperative that we engage in the mass education of our society, focusing on creativity and ingenuity. Given the exponential rise in technology this mass education must take place rapidly and immediately.
Due to the vast income inequality as seen across racial and gender lines, the only way to do so is through free higher education for those who cannot afford it.
As for ourselves, many of us faced extreme pressure, losing academic performance, friends and relationships to stand up for what we know to be right.
Some of us were interdicted, brutalised by private and public forces, ostracised by broader society, suffering immense physical and psychological trauma to make our contribution to the generational mandate.
While many may be critical of this, know that the suffering of others in the cause of justice for themselves and their fellow humans must always be respected.
What we did was necessary to highlight the vast number of societal deficiencies which we as South Africans comfortably swept under the rug for over two decades. Deficiencies which we will now no longer tolerate and will apply pressure in whatever manner necessary to correct, whether in our personal or collective capacity.
This has changed us. It must not and will not be forgotten as we progress into post-university life, as we know our role in shaping the future of this society has just begun.
As for those new and remaining students, the position you are in is path dependant. It rests on the sacrifices made not only by the previous students but by our mothers and fathers who stood up in the face of supreme injustice, violence and discomfort.
We all stand on the shoulders of those giants.
So fulfil your generational mandate and protect our society from devolving into a further state of racial and class disparity. Stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves and stand up for yourselves, for your success is theirs and theirs yours in the greater scheme of things.
Only by keeping up the incipient threat of the power which you collectively wield can we force these institutions to transform as is required by the needs of the many and not as per their historic prioritsation of the privileged few.
Stand together for what you know to be fair and just, set an example for those who come after you and we will achieve our generational mandate as well as make ground towards driving our country as the leader of the African superpower.
We are the tip of the African spear, it is our duty to remain as strong and as sharp as possible in our various fields so that we may help our fellow Africans to reverse the disparity with other countries (stemming from and fuelled by their morally depraved treatment of us, our ancestors, our resources and our land).
This is only the beginning of our project. We still have a long walk to freedom.