TUT students stand up against burning campus
TUT students do not want to join this year's #FeesMustFallReloaded protests.
Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) second year students vow not to burn the university in demand of scrapping tuition fees.
Kwando Hlongwane (21), a second year journalism student and co-founder of the #TUTAyiStrike, told Rekord this week she and her fellow students recorded a video message in opposition to the strike to encourage other students to reject the call to join #FeesMustFallReloaded protests.
The video Hlongwane recorded is now trending on social media.
#FeesMustFall student leaders vowed to resume their protest on Monday, after Higher Education and Training Minister Blade Nzimande announced universities would be allowed to increase fees for 2017.
He said universities could determine their own increment but should not exceed 8%.
“We have looked at the challenges at hand from all sides and concluded that the best approach would be to allow individual universities to determine the level of the increases that their institutions would require,” said Nzimande on Monday afternoon.
It was reported that Wits University was already on strike on Tuesday.
“We wanted to distance ourselves from that legacy of violence and say, we can actually win this no-fee campaign war by not using violence, instead we should find other ways of being heard,” said Hlongwane.
Kutlwano Baloyi (22) said renewed protests at Wits and Stellenbosch University was their matter, not TUT’s.
“Ours is to concentrate on the upcoming exams because we were already delayed in past years,” said Baloyi.
Tidimalo Kiesemang said TUT students should not join the renewed strikes.
Kiesemang said: “I am tired of hearing and reading about the negative reports on our institution as though we are uncivilised people who just want to burn things for no reason.”
Kiesemang said his group wanted to restore the reputation TUT once had.
“This institution was known for being the best in South Africa but now when you mention TUT, people look at you in a different way,” she said.
Joe Marara (49) said his daughter, Puleng, graduated from TUT five years ago but could not find a job because of the negative media attention TUT had attracted over the years.
“It was difficult for her because she spent most of her time on campus studying and passing with good grades but now what other students were doing was affecting her,” said Marara.
Puleng, who studied HR, has gone on to start her own consulting company.
“It is true that TUT’s reputation has had a negative effect on my career but I also thank the same people who rejected me because I was able to start my own company,” said Puleng.
Puleng said she supported the journalism students’ campaign.
“If only this was done while I was still a student, I would have joined them and helped change the face of this institution.”
People took to Twitter to show their support for the campaign:
I actually understand where they're coming from #TUTayistrike https://t.co/uvYuZqwOOT
— Excessively Black (@snoopphaphi) September 19, 2016
https://twitter.com/Lishington1/status/778108817259294720
Wow things turn differently this time around #TUTayistrike
— Mandla Nhleko Mgilija (@Mgilija5) September 20, 2016
Good great move by tut students #TUTAyistrike Wits students like making us poor students puppets hope UL won't strike too #FeesMustFall2016
— Selamolela Karabo (@craboh) September 19, 2016
👏👏 to TUT and their reasons for not joining the protest #TUTayistrike #Fees2017
— Moilalehlaka (@katlego__R) September 19, 2016
Also read:
Another feel protest on the cards
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