‘Student revolt’ on the cards following Wits fee hike

Other institutions that are yet to announce decisions on tuition fees for next year should know that students will not pay any increases, the EFF Students Command (EFFSC) said on Wednesday.

This was after Wits University announced an 8% fee hike for 2017 this week.

Speaking to The Citizen on Wednesday, EFFSC spokesperson Naledi Chirwa said they were busy mobilising different sectors of the community.

“We are on the ground talking to matriculants, clinics, police stations and many other sectors of the community because things will never go on as normal for as long as universities announce fee increases.

“In 1994, my granny was promised by the ANC that there will be free tertiary education, but nothing to that effect has materialised,” she said.

Chirwa, who was one of the many students arrested during the #FeesMustFall protests at several universities throughout the country in recent months, would not divulge more information on what the plan of action would be for next year.

With registrations for the new academic year expected to take place just after mid-January next year, newly elected Wits student representative council (SRC) president Kefentse Mkhari said a student “revolt” was on the cards.

“I have told Wits vice-chancellor Adam Habib directly that a student revolt was on the way and through his public statements that he spoke to student leaders, that he was also putting our lives at risk because he is now creating the dangerous perception that we (student leaders) are sellouts.

“Students understand that the university has expenses, but if Wits [management] was really concerned they should have come down to the students and marched with them to the Union Buildings.

“But instead Habib and the university have decided to protect government at the expense of students,” Mkhari said.

– Caxton News Service