Entitlement is a powder keg
THE student unrest at UKZN and Vaal University of Technology is a déjà vu experience.
Such violent protests by students have played out many times before under our new democratic order (damage to university property, intimidation/injury to fellow students, early closure of campuses).
The current gripe by protesting students at UKZN is based on the following: University fees (including registration fees) are unaffordable. UKZN has made proposals to increase its registration fees from R3 500 to R5 000. The current funding model of 70:30 for the 1 100 poorest students must be scrapped. Education must be free!
About 44 000 students and 5 campuses have been affected by the violence at UKZN with fire damage estimated at R100 million! The administration is currently owed a further R100 million in unpaid student fees by those who have already graduated.
The above background statistics speaks for themselves. Demands are not based on legitimate grounds but rather on entitlement.
Have not such feelings of entitlement permeated practically every facet of our South African landscape? Free housing; free electricity; free water; jobs.
When demands are not met, violence is part of the solution.
University life should instil discipline. It is through discipline that one earns freedom.
Some may still attribute such barbaric acts to the effects of apartheid. Apartheid has been an excuse for far too long. It is time people realised it’s by sacrifice, dedication and sheer hard work that success will come.
Entitlement is a growing monster created by false promises through poor leadership in our country. Left unchecked, it’s a powder keg waiting to explode!
GONA GOVENDER
La Mercy