Angry Rhodes University students yesterday threatened to “declare war” on the administration if they did not urgently come up with ways to address rising fees.Members of the Black Student Movement told an urgent meeting called by the student representative council (SRC) with management that they would embark on campus protests next week similar to those held at other South African universities.
“We must declare war next week on Tuesday or Wednesday,” BSM student Thembani Onceya explained to loud applause.
The threat came an hour into an emotional open meeting attended by about 200 students where deputy vice-chancellor Dr Peter Clayton and deputy director of university finance Geoff Erasmus were urged to try and come up with solutions to rising university costs and the exclusionary impact it had on poor students.
After making the protest call, Onceya and dozens of BSM members left the meeting and stood outside chanting their disapproval.
Opening the meeting, SRC secretary-general Lindokuhle Zungu said they had “noted with difficulty” proposed university fee increases.
“We are of the opinion that the current fees are exclusionary to many of our students and this further (fees) increase will do nothing to remedy that situation and nor will it do anything to advance transformation at the university.”
He said the SRC was constantly arguing that management review its fee structure but were told they were needed to cover running costs.
Zungu said the problem was not confined just to Rhodes and that an Eastern Cape SRC forum had been formed to try and tackle the issue.
He said a meeting would be held next week and that a march would be held urging government to intervene.
“We stand together with Wits SRC in their protest.”
Learning ground to a halt at Wits university this week as students there protested fee increases.
Clayton said vice-chancellor Dr Sizwe Mabizela and other senior management were not at the SRC meeting as they were in Durban attending a higher education transformation summit with Minister Blade Ndzimande.
According to Clayton, although the issue on higher education funding was not on the agenda it was hoped the summit would try address ways of alleviating the financial pressure on poor students from rural and working class families. — davidm@dispatch.co.za
Rhodes on brink of fees ‘war’
Members of the Black Student Movement told an urgent meeting called by the student representative council (SRC) with management that they would embark on campus protests next week similar to those held at other South African universities.
“We must declare war next week on Tuesday or Wednesday,” BSM student Thembani Onceya explained to loud applause.
The threat came an hour into an emotional open meeting attended by about 200 students where deputy vice-chancellor Dr Peter Clayton and deputy director of university finance Geoff Erasmus were urged to try and come up with solutions to rising university costs and the exclusionary impact it had on poor students.
After making the protest call, Onceya and dozens of BSM members left the meeting and stood outside chanting their disapproval.
Opening the meeting, SRC secretary-general Lindokuhle Zungu said they had “noted with difficulty” proposed university fee increases.
“We are of the opinion that the current fees are exclusionary to many of our students and this further (fees) increase will do nothing to remedy that situation and nor will it do anything to advance transformation at the university.”
He said the SRC was constantly arguing that management review its fee structure but were told they were needed to cover running costs.
Zungu said the problem was not confined just to Rhodes and that an Eastern Cape SRC forum had been formed to try and tackle the issue.
He said a meeting would be held next week and that a march would be held urging government to intervene.
“We stand together with Wits SRC in their protest.”
Learning ground to a halt at Wits university this week as students there protested fee increases.
Clayton said vice-chancellor Dr Sizwe Mabizela and other senior management were not at the SRC meeting as they were in Durban attending a higher education transformation summit with Minister Blade Ndzimande.
According to Clayton, although the issue on higher education funding was not on the agenda it was hoped the summit would try address ways of alleviating the financial pressure on poor students from rural and working class families. — davidm@dispatch.co.za
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