A meeting between Rhodes University students and their Vice-Chancellor (VC) Dr Sizwe Mabizela on Wednesday afternoon 21 September didn't yield any positive results, as the students maintained that they wanted nothing but free education in 2017.
A meeting between Rhodes University students and their Vice-Chancellor (VC) Dr Sizwe Mabizela on Wednesday afternoon 21 September didn't yield any positive results, as the students maintained that they wanted nothing but free education in 2017.
The VC addressed the students at the Drostdy Lawn today, condemining the disruption of classes during the morning.
The students brought lectures and tutorials to a halt following their dissatisfaction with Monday's announcement made by Minister of Higher Education and Training Dr Blade Nzimande on universities' tuition fee adjustments for 2017.
Nzimande announced a maximum 8 percent fee increase for next year and the government's commitment to assisting students who come from poor and working class families and those who come from mid-level income families.
The Minister said this referred to those who qualify for National Student Financial Scheme as well as children of poor, working- and middle-class families whose household income was up to R600 000 a year.
Mabizela on Monday issued a statement welcoming Nzimande's statement.
Today, Mabizela during his address to the students said any protestats against the Minister's statement, or any demand for an across the board zero fee increase would be unfair.
"In any debate regarding next year's fee adjustments, you must take out all the students whose familly income is less than R600 000. You must take them out of the equation beccause for them what has been announced by the Minister is a zero fee increase.
"We must advance social justice and we must do everything possible to address the inequalities in our society. We must acknowledge that what the Minister has put forward is not adequately addressing the challenges that face our higher education system.
"The Minister was quite clear that what he was proposing was an arrangement for 2017. He acknowledged that there are bigger issues which have been raised by the students which are legitimate.
"There was a call for free education for the poor and his response to that was there is a Fee Commission that is looking on that matter. He said let us allow that process to run its course and once that is concluded there will be an engagement," said Mabizela.
He said the university has committed itself to do everything possible to ensure that all academically deserving students acquire a decent higher education.
Mabizela said Nzimande's statement was a progressive step in terms of addressing the inequalities.
He said it was important that there was a recogniton of the very important segment of the university student population that has been referred to as the "missing middle".
These include children of nurses, police officers, teachers and others who can't afford to pay university fees, but who don't qualify for financial aid under the National Student Financial Aid Scheme.
Mabizela said a group of Rhodes University students today disrupted lecturers, barricaded certain part of the university and buildings, intimidated lecturers and staff members in their offices were forced out.
"That is unacaptable. We respect personal rights in this university. No one has the right to interfere with the right of others. If we want our rights to be respected, we must respect the rights of others.
"Action will be taken against anyone who breaches the disciplinary code of this university.
"You can exercise your exercise right to protest, but do so within the bounds of the law," Mabizela said.
"Our position as Rhodes University on the issue of funding for higher education is very clear," said Mabizela.
Susi Vetter, a professor at Rhodes, read a statement of drafted by the university staff, academics and management.
"Youth is our country's future, yet too many talented young people continue to struggle to access or complete higher education due to financial barriers.
"As university staff and students we witness with distress and frustration the difficulties our economically disadvantaged students have to go through.
"We share with our students the disappointment in the outcome of government deliberation and the continued lack of support for higher education.
"We can no longer wait with our arms crossed for government to adequately fund institutions of higher learning.
"We urge our government to provide the neccesary support to ensure that higher education is accesible to all."
Mabizela said the statement would be sent to the national government.
A student, Londiwe Mntambo, speaking on behalf of other students, said it was not right for Mabizela and his staff to criminalise the shutting down and disruption of classes, labelling it as violence.
"We don't say we don't have money for an increase… we're saying we don't have money for fees," Mntambo said.
"We don't say we can't afford Rhodes University… we're saying we can't afford university in this country at all.
"You can't say go to a cheaper university, and that's not the conversation we want to have. The aims of the shutdown is a rejection of the university's acceptance of the Minister's reccomendations.
"It's a rejection of any atnicipated fee increment.
"It is also meant to reiterate our call for free education. We won't be accepting a fee increase. We want a decrease, with a plan for a free education."
The university's Student Representative Council (SRC) President Mlondolozi Gift Sandi said this evening the SRC would have a meeting with management and discuss what is going to happen in the next few days.
