i also support #fmf
GRAZIA REAL LIFE
… t u b , d e ’ g e F l i v i M r F p # m ’ I T t a R h t O w P o n P U ‘I k S O
S L IA
Matriculant Masego Mafata, 18, on how some of the he class of 2016 feel about #FeesMustFall
I’M WRITING my inal matric exam on November 18 2016 at Sacred Heart College in Johannesburg and planning to go to university next year. I have been accepted to study a BA in international studies at Stellenbosch University – I applied there because I like the way the university has structured that degree. But I am also terriied of going to that particular campus for other reasons. Stellenbosch University has already sent out reassurances that they will remain open, that the #FeesMustFall campaign has not impacted their schedules. That response seems out of touch to me. ❯ 33
GRAZIA REAL LIFE
‘I am not one to just jump in and get busy. I can’t adopt other people’s struggles. The only way I’d get involved in a student movement like #FMF is if there were a space for me’
I have three friends who have applied only to Wits. They are now very stressed and worried, unsure about what is going to happen. Will classes start later in 2017? Will classes start at all? Is it better to defer studies for a year than to potentially waste money? The #FeesMustFall campaign doesn’t directly affect me – I am privileged. I have been at a private school all my life. I have received a scholarship to study, but I don’t quality for NSFAS funding – though I know people who do qualify. And 34
now I am going to a university where – to my disappointment – things are supposedly just going to go on as per normal. In this position, I can only be an ally to the student movement. However, I still feel passionate about #FMF; I have opinions about it. I am not saying Stellenbosch students should start protesting willy-nilly, but there hasn’t been a message of solidarity from their student body. As far as I am aware, there hasn’t been any communication of support from the Stellenbosch SRC to the Wits, UCT or UKZN SRCs. But then
again, one needs to understand that in Stellenbosch, it might be very hard for students to speak out and risk being deemed “controversial” by the conservative establishment. Initially, I was adamant that I was going anywhere except Stellenbosch University, because of the tension and oppression people of colour have reported while going there. I wondered if there would be a space for someone like me there. I am worried about Afrikaner nationalism – it makes me very nervous. My mom is all about reclaiming spaces though,
As told to: Margot Bertelsmann. Pictures: Gallo Images/Getty Images; AFP; Supplied.
so she is very much in favour of my going to SU. But on the other hand, I don’t want to go there and just start ighting as if I understand the causes. I am not one to just jump in and get busy. I can’t adopt other people’s struggles. The only way I’d get involved in a student movement like #FMF is if there were a space for me. If that is not the case, I’ve already made plan B – I hope to go to Rhodes if it turns out that way. I am community-service orientated. I want to hear from
schools and people in poorer communities about their experiences and their views on topics such as #FMF. The fact that my life next year is not affected shows how privileged I am. But there are so many others who are voiceless. This year, I was the president of our school’s learner leadership council (LLC). We haven’t interacted with other schools and their LLCs or participated in any protests because of the heavy demands of matric. But our LLC this year consisted of woke, conscientised people, so we engaged
in conversations about this often. Everyone on our LLC supports #FMF, but there is a difference of opinion about the methods that are being employed by the students. We are angered by news reports that we see about student protests, as we feel that the news sources are not always trustworthy. But my biggest criticism is of the government. I stress a lot about people in power who know what the right thing to do is, but who have failed to implement the policies that will get us there. I am angry with Wits vice-chancellor Adam Habib, because I feel he is in a better position to interact and engage with government with regard to delivering those demands. I also feel that factionalism and divisions are hindering the protests and any progress that is made. I wish I could just sit everybody down and have a conversation until we ind a meeting point. Government invisibility is another problem. President Jacob Zuma only responded to #FMF very recently. I feel the task force he appointed is a sop – a patronising attempt to silence student protests. In the run-up to the recent local government elections, the Wits SRC – most of whom are Progressive Youth Alliance (PYA) members – worked to gather votes and support for the ANC. But this is the same ANC that promised free education before the elections… The PYA should be questioning its leadership. I believe fees shouldn’t exist for poor people and the missing middle. It’s not blanket immunity – if you can afford education, you need to pay for it. But both basic education and higher education actually need to be delivered. My stance is: free education for the poor and the missing middle, quality education for everyone. ■ 35
… t u b , d e ’ g e F l i v i M r F p # m ’ I T t a R h t O w P o n P U ‘I k S O
S L IA
Matriculant Masego Mafata, 18, on how some of the he class of 2016 feel about #FeesMustFall
I’M WRITING my inal matric exam on November 18 2016 at Sacred Heart College in Johannesburg and planning to go to university next year. I have been accepted to study a BA in international studies at Stellenbosch University – I applied there because I like the way the university has structured that degree. But I am also terriied of going to that particular campus for other reasons. Stellenbosch University has already sent out reassurances that they will remain open, that the #FeesMustFall campaign has not impacted their schedules. That response seems out of touch to me. ❯ 33
GRAZIA REAL LIFE
‘I am not one to just jump in and get busy. I can’t adopt other people’s struggles. The only way I’d get involved in a student movement like #FMF is if there were a space for me’
I have three friends who have applied only to Wits. They are now very stressed and worried, unsure about what is going to happen. Will classes start later in 2017? Will classes start at all? Is it better to defer studies for a year than to potentially waste money? The #FeesMustFall campaign doesn’t directly affect me – I am privileged. I have been at a private school all my life. I have received a scholarship to study, but I don’t quality for NSFAS funding – though I know people who do qualify. And 34
now I am going to a university where – to my disappointment – things are supposedly just going to go on as per normal. In this position, I can only be an ally to the student movement. However, I still feel passionate about #FMF; I have opinions about it. I am not saying Stellenbosch students should start protesting willy-nilly, but there hasn’t been a message of solidarity from their student body. As far as I am aware, there hasn’t been any communication of support from the Stellenbosch SRC to the Wits, UCT or UKZN SRCs. But then
again, one needs to understand that in Stellenbosch, it might be very hard for students to speak out and risk being deemed “controversial” by the conservative establishment. Initially, I was adamant that I was going anywhere except Stellenbosch University, because of the tension and oppression people of colour have reported while going there. I wondered if there would be a space for someone like me there. I am worried about Afrikaner nationalism – it makes me very nervous. My mom is all about reclaiming spaces though,
As told to: Margot Bertelsmann. Pictures: Gallo Images/Getty Images; AFP; Supplied.
so she is very much in favour of my going to SU. But on the other hand, I don’t want to go there and just start ighting as if I understand the causes. I am not one to just jump in and get busy. I can’t adopt other people’s struggles. The only way I’d get involved in a student movement like #FMF is if there were a space for me. If that is not the case, I’ve already made plan B – I hope to go to Rhodes if it turns out that way. I am community-service orientated. I want to hear from
schools and people in poorer communities about their experiences and their views on topics such as #FMF. The fact that my life next year is not affected shows how privileged I am. But there are so many others who are voiceless. This year, I was the president of our school’s learner leadership council (LLC). We haven’t interacted with other schools and their LLCs or participated in any protests because of the heavy demands of matric. But our LLC this year consisted of woke, conscientised people, so we engaged
in conversations about this often. Everyone on our LLC supports #FMF, but there is a difference of opinion about the methods that are being employed by the students. We are angered by news reports that we see about student protests, as we feel that the news sources are not always trustworthy. But my biggest criticism is of the government. I stress a lot about people in power who know what the right thing to do is, but who have failed to implement the policies that will get us there. I am angry with Wits vice-chancellor Adam Habib, because I feel he is in a better position to interact and engage with government with regard to delivering those demands. I also feel that factionalism and divisions are hindering the protests and any progress that is made. I wish I could just sit everybody down and have a conversation until we ind a meeting point. Government invisibility is another problem. President Jacob Zuma only responded to #FMF very recently. I feel the task force he appointed is a sop – a patronising attempt to silence student protests. In the run-up to the recent local government elections, the Wits SRC – most of whom are Progressive Youth Alliance (PYA) members – worked to gather votes and support for the ANC. But this is the same ANC that promised free education before the elections… The PYA should be questioning its leadership. I believe fees shouldn’t exist for poor people and the missing middle. It’s not blanket immunity – if you can afford education, you need to pay for it. But both basic education and higher education actually need to be delivered. My stance is: free education for the poor and the missing middle, quality education for everyone. ■ 35
