Zuma's failure to listen angers students at fees imbizo

The Higher Education and Training Imbizo came to a halt on Monday as student representatives demanded that President Jacob Zuma come back. He departed after arriving late and delivering an address asking students to resume their studies.

Student leaders‚ as stakeholders at the imbizo‚ said they want a commitment from President Zuma on the FeesMustFall campaign and blamed a lack of decisive leadership for the chaos in the higher education system.

A student leader said they wanted to go back to their universities to study as they are not criminals but that would not happen until such time that the president as well as his commission made a commitment to free higher education for the working class as well as the middle class.

The president’s departure without listening to stakeholders was denounced on Twitter. Here’s a selection of comments:

Warren Nebe @WarrenNebe

A genuine leader will not speak and leave! A genuine leader will listen‚ dialogue and work long hours alongside the people #FeesForum #Zuma.

Yusuf Cassim @YusufCassim

SRC demands now. Zuma must come back‚ treasury and fees commission must be on programme. They are correct #FeesForum.

Sikelela Matandela @ForeverShakes

They should have just called it “The fee increase announcement: Reloaded” #FeesForum.

SydneyG @MannaTitbits

Zuma is only bringing his presidential shadow to #FeesForum: hoping it’ll bring calm to agro students! Protest will escalate even more after.