Rationality is what’s needed
THE GENIE has been let out of the bottle at campuses across the country, after students at Wits decided they would not accept unilaterally imposed fee hikes for their tuition and associated costs next year.
The protests in Braamfontein appeared to be heading for a peaceful and orderly resolution at the weekend, after the signing of an agreement which appeared Solomonic in addressing both aspects of the fees row; acknowledging that fees had to be charged and indeed needed to be increased in the face of rising costs, but also that students should have a say in determining the quantum of such increases.
This was not only a reasonable compromise, it was a fitting one that recognised that the students of today are the leaders of tomorrow and as such need to be exposed as early as possible to the rigours and realities of life beyond the cloistered corridors of academe. Unfortunately, much like British prime minister Neville Chamberlain’s vaunted “Peace In Our Time” speech, celebrations appeared premature with violence erupting on campus on Monday, with both sides accusing the other of bad faith.
The current issue is not the only one vexing students. They are a microcosm of the larger society, with the same fears, hopes, debts, responsibilities and indeed anger that the rest of us have.
This has been an angry year for South Africa. Protests have spilt over into open aggression, destruction of property and people getting hurt. The issues underpinning the protests are real, even if some of the agitators might correctly be accused of opportunism, and must be addressed.
If we agree that these are the next generation of leaders, then we should treat them as such, both in terms of open and frank negotiations but also in making them accountable for their actions when they break the law and behave in an anti-social manner.
It’s critical that in winning the war, nobody loses the peace – and that’s precisely the risk South Africa runs when violence trumps rational, insightful and constructive debate, ironically the traditional preserve of universities.