news

Wednesday, April 6th, 2016 at 9:49am
Reminder of today's caucus meeting happening @ Anthro Museum till 2pm. #NotMyFMF https://t.co/2MtQKt7inm

Tuesday, April 5th, 2016 at 10:14pm
The revolution will be BLACK LED and INTERSECTIONAL. Caucus meeting happening @ the Anthro Museum,midday. #NotMyFMF https://t.co/p50VhevUQG

Monday, April 4th, 2016 at 8:50pm
RT @mr_matu: @WitsFMF: All identities of Blackness will be included in this revolution or it will be bullshit!

Monday, April 4th, 2016 at 8:49pm
RT @Revolting_Wolf: Thread about the disruptions that took place today. #NotMyFMF https://t.co/1rmAvMU7c9

Monday, April 4th, 2016 at 8:49pm
RT @JansenLeanne: 🔥🔥🔥 over at @WitsFMF. If it's not intersectional, it's not revolutionary.

Historic Victory on the end of Outsourcing at The University of the Witwatersrand

WITS AGREES TO END OUTSOURCING FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

01 NOVEMEBER 2015

Following three days of negotiations between student and worker representatives of the WITS Fees Must Fall movement and members of the University of the Witwatersrand executive management, the Fees Must Fall movement is pleased to announce that Wits has agreed to end outsourcing practises across all its campuses. After 15 years of various protest action and memoranda from several worker interest bodies, the university has in principle agreed with the movement to insource.

Among a list of other victories for the non partisan student led, worker aligned movement, the in principle agreement was the highlight of the mass meeting held this afternoon at Solomon Mahlangu House. Making the announcement to great elation, dancing and tears from the workers and students, Lwazi Lushaba, a PhD student and one of the three student representatives involved in the negotiations, said “we agreed with management that the practice of outsourcing perpetuates a form of anti-black racism, and further that it is an inherently exploitative practise. Thus the university has agreed to insourcing in principle. A task team will be appointed before the 6^th of November to investigate as to the modalities and practicalities of insourcing and is expected to report back to a university general meeting in a month from now.”

In addition to the above, children of outsourced workers who are admitted to the university will be accorded free education until they complete their degrees. Qualifying, financially-stressed final year students who owe R15 000 or less in 2015, will also not be required to pay this amount in order to graduate, deputy vice chancellor Tawana Kupe confirmed the agreement at the meeting.

The student community was awarded yet another victory as the R1 500 supplementary examination fee was also scrapped as part of the agreement. Following days of speculation as to when the examination period would begin, it was also announced that the examination period would be postponed for one week and run from 9 November 2015 to 4 December 2015.

After three weeks of student protest action in higher learning institutions across the country, characterised by several incidents of police violence and private security brutality on the Wits campus, these victories are testament to the movements principled belief that you cannot resolve the issues of poor and working class black students without resolving the issues of the marginalised black workers on campuses.

The struggle for the black person is an intersectional one that recognises that race and class are always at the forefront of experience for any black person in what is primarily an anti-black world structure. As we conclude this chapter of the struggle of the black student and black worker on campuses, as a movement, we are energised by the tenacity and resilience of the comrades who have come to form part of this non partisan movement.

As we move forward, we are aware that there is much to do and much to fight for and we remain committed towards finding creative and strategic ways through which we can ensure that the total emancipatory project of the black person is realised.

We remain committed to this cause.

As we have continued to sing, Phambili nge chimurenga! Phambili, Phambili, Siyaya! Amandla!

END

WITS Fees Must Fall Media Team

Twitter: @WitsFMF, Facebook: WITS FEES MUST FALL

WITS AGREEMENT WITH WITS FEES MUST FALL MOVEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

30 October 2015

Following sustained protest action at the Wits University campus, the Wits Fees Must Fall movement issued Wits university management with a memorandum of demands detailing issues that went beyond the 0% fee increase for 2016 that was achieved last Friday at the Union Buildings. As a non-partisan student-led, worker aligned movement, the movement has remained resolute in its demand that management ensure that there is a concretised plan towards phasing out outsourcing of workers on the campus, in conjunction to its other demands that are related to student issues.

Following the first round of intense negotiations with university management the student movement is pleased to announce the following gains have been made:
All children of outsourced workers who are admitted to the university in 2016 and moving forward will study for free until the completion of their degrees.
Wits students who owe to the university and are therefore unable to access their qualification certificates and graduate will now be allowed to graduate and access their certificates.
The R1500 supplementary exam payment has been expunged and will no longer be a requirement.
All students in the academic year, 2015, who currently owe the university R25 000 and below, will have their debt expunged.

The second round negotiations will take place over the weekend. A mass meeting where a final agreement from management will be proposed is scheduled to take place this Sunday, 01 November 2015 from 12:00 at Solomon Mahlangu House.

The mass meeting, to include all students, workers and other relevant stakeholders of the university, will be open to the public and the media.

Therefore, we urge you to continue to stand with us and in solidarity with the workers on Sunday at this meeting. We invite you to witness with us what promises to be a historic moment in the WITS Fees Must Fall campaign.
END
__
WITS FEES MUST FALL Media Team
For enquiries, contact: feesmustfall@gmail.com
Website: www.feesmustfall.joburg, Twitter: @WitsFMF, Facebook: WITS FEES MUST FALL

Short term statement of demands

28 October. By Charissa Shay

We as the students of Wits University recognize the historic importance of the struggle that has been waged across the country towards the goal of free education. Gathered at Solomon Mahlangu House in the 28th October 2015 noted that the impasse that has hindered the resumption of normal university activities must be attended to with immediacy. We therefore resolved on the following minimum conditions/demands that must be met.

1) Insourcing: Every contract that lapses is not renewed and co-employment by Wits University be adopted in the interim.

2) No registration fee/up front payment across the board.

3) No charges/victimization for involvement in the protest against students, staff and workers.

4) University Assembly must be formally constituted.

5) A new calendar for exams be negotiated starting from 2 November 2015.

6) Qualifications of those owing the university must be released.

7) MJL workers must be reinstated with immediate effect.

8) All children of workers admitted to the university will study for free.

9) Supplementary exam fee of R1500 must be scrapped.

STATEMENT FROM WITS FEES MUST FALL MOVEMENT

27 October 2015

Since the inception of the Wits Fees Must Fall movement, the Wits Student body involved in the protest action had agreed on various principles of engagement to ensure the integrity of the movement, including among many, that of no private meetings to be held with regard to any matters related to the protest action and a non-partisan student-led movement.

On the evening of the 25th October, towards the end of a sub-committee meeting around midnight, said committee received a tip off that a private meeting was being held on the university grounds. The members of this committee resolved to go to the venue where the meeting was held on the basis that all meetings should be held in the presence of the student assembly.

At this venue, the members of the committee happened upon a meeting which included our current and incoming SRC Presidents, Shaeera Kalla and Nompendulo Mkatshwa, incoming SRC member Lesego Mokwena, Yamkela Fanisi (ANC YL Wits Chair), Benedict Ntlai (YCL Wits Secretary), General Banda (SASCO Treasurer General), Ntuthuko Manthombothi (SASCO president), Thuthukile Zuma (PYA members) and others.

Based on the principle of public meetings regarding protest matters, the students then demanded that the agenda points be shared with them. After several fruitless requests and escalating tensions, the students were eventually addressed by the two presidents. The presidents denied that the meeting was a violation of the public meetings principle and stated that the meeting concerned internal PYA matters.

Students videotaped the engagement and were able to obtain meeting minutes. The minutes contained information contradictory to the statements given by the two presidents in as far as they discussed matters such as the SASCO President’s report back from student leaders meeting with the President on Friday at the Union Buildings, the intention to limit the protest action to the mandate of a zero percent fee increase and the end of worker outsourcing,

From the beginning of our protest action, as a student body, we have been concerned about the ever-present danger of political interference that has been seen across campuses involved in the Fees Must Fall protests. Our own campus has seen various political leaders seeking to align themselves and advise our action, which we feel is a threat to our principle of a non-partisan student-led movement.

For these reasons, as students, we believe that there has been a bridge of trust and thus have decided to no longer recognise the leadership of the Student Representative Council in this movement and have reaffirmed our commitment to being a non-partisan student-led movement.

As a movement, we remain committed to protesting for free education and the end of outsourcing.

Finally, we wish to reiterate: Asijiki. Forward with free education! Forward with insourcing!
—

Wits Fees Must Fall Media Committee

For any queries, contact feesmustfall@gmail.com

UNIVERSITY WORKERS’ CHARTER

(This was delivered to Wits and UJ managements under a month ago. So as our struggles continue let’s renew and review the demands)

UNIVERSITY WORKERS’ CHARTER

The hands of workers built the buildings, laid the roads and produced all the goods in this society. The workers of today and the mothers and fathers who were the workers of yesterday make society possible.
Universities were built using the labour of many people. They run each day on the labour of many people. There are cleaners, teachers, caterers, maintenance workers, technicians, administrative workers, gardeners and more. Without them, there would be no university.
From 1999, universities across South Africa began the process of outsourcing workers. The University of Cape Town was the first to retrench and outsource workers, and run the university like a business. Hundreds of workers were retrenched and workers’ wages and benefits were cut. Their working conditions also deteriorated dramatically.
At Wits University, for example, 613 workers were retrenched and only 250 re-employed by outsourced companies. Typically, cleaners’ wages dropped from R2 227 per month to about R1 200. Workers lost their benefits and moreover, as Wits employees, workers’ children were entitled to free education, which was taken away through the process of outsourcing, slamming shut the doors of learning and culture in the faces of workers’ families. Union membership and union organising among outsourced workers was seriously weakened after workers were kicked out of the public sector and divided according to companies.
Outsourced workers enjoy few benefits: they have no medical aid, travel allowances, housing and maternity benefits or pensions. Workers have been denied their status as members of the university community. Workers have been banned from meeting on campus and intimidated and disciplined for attending meetings and rallies. At Wits, for example, workers were forced to use separate entrances, toilet facilities and banned from using open spaces. Workers are also subjected to racism and verbal abuse.
Workers are forced to live an intolerable life of insecurity and hardship. Many workers must leave home at 5am, walk and wait for transport in the dark, risking their safety. Some workers surive on the food thrown away in the canteen. Workers will never be able to send their children to the university that they maintain. It is a life of worrying if you will be able to feed and clothe and school your children. It is a life of worrying what will happen when the company contract ends with the university. What will happen to you and your family if your lose your job?

Workers gave their sweat for ten and twenty and thirty years – only to get chucked out through retrenchments and outsourcing so that the university could save money. Outsourcing continues to reproduce apartheid in universities today.

What could and should a public university look like?

Treating workers like human beings is not possible in a university run like a capitalist business. The university must be a place where people can work and learn and teach as human beings. The university is part of the public sector. The public sector must be about what people need. The public sector today can be like seeds of a different future – a future where everything is collectively owned and organised under workers and community control according to what people need.

Everyone whose labour contributes to the university should have:

• A living wage
• A secure job
• Decent, safe and healthy working conditions
• Democratic collective organisation so that they can speak and act together
• A safe place where they can leave children who need care
• Access to the education facilities

The labour of so many workers doing so many jobs is necessary so that the university can run every day. The university must make sure it runs with respect for the workers it needs.
We demand an end to all outsourcing at public sector institutions and the direct employment of everyone working without loss of jobs.
No workers should bear the costs and consequences of the university’s decision to outsource.
There Must be Job Security for All

• There must be permanent jobs for all workers.
• University management must take all steps necessary to ensure that all workers who have lost their jobs as a result of the outsourcing of “non-essential” services are reinstated.
• All workers jobs must be secured if there is a change in contracted companies, or if there is a change in the contract with an existing company. Workers who lost their jobs when contracts changed or were terminated, must be reinstated.
• The sporadic employment of casual labourers must be rendered impermissible in terms of the rules of the university. No worker should be discarded merely because their services are not immediately vital for the smooth running of the university.
A Fair Wage is a Living Wage
• Everyone who works at the university, regardless of who employs them, should have a living wage. In solidarity with the struggle of Marikana workers, we support the demand for a living wage of R12,500.
• As a first step, we demand a restoration of wage rates to equivalent levels to those reached immediately prior to outsourcing, once inflation over the last 15 years has been factored in.
• The university management must take responsibility for setting the wage levels of workers, even if workers are employed under outsourced companies.
All Workers Must Have Full Access to the University, including Benefits that Come with Working at a University
• All workers should receive the same benefits as academic staff. No one is non-essential; no one deserves to be treated as if they are expendable. These benefits include but are not limited to, pension, medical, housing and leave benefits, as well as access to university transport.
• The right to full access to the library, including the ability to borrow books from the library. The right to full access to computer facilities.
• The right to free tuition for any worker and worker’s child studying at the university. Support for workers to complete their schooling education must be provided.
• Child care facilities must be provided for all workers on campus.
• All workers must be given access to toilets, kitchens and tea rooms closest to where they work on campus.
• All workers must be given preference to job and other career advancement opportunities. This process must be made transparent to workers.
Freedom to Participate and Associate as Members of the University Community
• Workers are members of the university community.
• Workers have the right to gather, meet and organise on campus collectively at their PLACE of employment.
• The right of workers to associate with each other for the purposes of defending and advancing their rights must receive institutional protection at the university. This includes the right to and time off to attend union and other organisational meetings.
• Workers’ organisations and representatives of their choice must be recognised by the university and other employers.
• The right to demonstrate, march, picket or strike on and near the campus without threat or fear of disciplinary measures or dismissal must be guaranteed. No one should be penalised if they refuse to cross a picket line, or refuse to do the work of another worker who is on strike.
• There must be democratic decision-making in the university that involves the whole university community. Workers must be represented on the highest decision-making bodies of the university.
Access to Information
• All information pertaining to the allocation of funds by the university, as well as all other budgetary matters, must be made accessible by management to workers.
• All information affecting workers directly, such as the contracts signed between the university and the companies, must be made fully accessible to any and all workers.
Dignified, Safe and Healthy Working Conditions for All
• The intrinsic dignity of all members of the university community must be respected.
• The university must prohibit any and all forms of unequal treatment against workers.
• All workers must be supplied with the necessary protective clothing and training as well as adequate changing, ablution and rest facilities.
• Workers must have the right to refuse any unsafe and unhealthy work without fear of disciplinary action.

VOICES

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10 Mar 2016

AGENT MEETING

Dear AGENTS OF CHANGE, As mentioned in my previous email, there will be a FMF meeting Today, please see attached poster for details. Important issues such as financial exclusion will be discussed, please invite as many people as you can. “What matters is not to know the world but to CHANGE it” ~ Frantz Fanon […]

1 Mar 2016

LOVE,AND CLOSE RACISM

LOVE IN A TIME OF CLOSET RACISM. I used to think that we can love whoever we want without anything to stand in our way until I was 14 and my friend planted seeds of doubt.My first boyfriend was white. I was 12 and the most we did was hold hands and hug in secret when […]

19 Feb 2016

CLOSE RACISM AS A BLACK STUDENT.

CLOSE RACISM. I used to think that we can love whoever we want to without anything to stand in. my way until I was 11 and i planted seeds of doubt.My first girlfriend she was white. I was 11 and the most we did was hold hands and hug in secret when no one was looking […]

2 Feb 2016

REVOLUTIONARY GREETINGS COMRADES

Today WitsFMF set out on our O-week massive mobilisation campaign on the Amic deck… We gathered and put up banners of our movement, set out indigenous games across the Amic deck, did extensive interaction with first years through gaming and teaching on the FMF movement. We went on to sell kasi snacks (ama kip kip, Stumbos, […]

28 Jan 2016

ENOUGH WITH RESOLUTIONS BEING BLACK STUDENT

Enough with resolutions being black student. As we go into the new year people have already started making ridiculous resolutions and promises they know they will never keep. I think the reason most people make resolutions is that they want to feel like they have made goals and real decisions to make a change in the […]

26 Jan 2016

REVOLUTIONARY GREETING TO ALL FALLISTS

The last couple of weeks have been difficult for he FMF movement, but nonetheless we still hold fast to the believe that we will see free quality education in our lifetime, maybe even NOW. i just want to highlight the challenges we’ve faced thus far and the plan of action moving forward. CHALLENGESThe first challenged we […]

25 Jan 2016

RACISM SHOULD FALL, ACTUALLY SHOULD DIE.

I almost made a stupid mistakes by attempting to write about racism without stepping on any toes. I almost made attempts to be politically correct and accommodating every person who may end up reading in my blog whatever I post. This is the main problem we face in South African. We discuss about race where […]

13 Jan 2016

THE TRUTH MUST BE HEARD……….

The Truth Must Be Heard. Wits University – where leaders learn. As many others will profess, Wits University presents an environment which embraces students of all cultures, religions, sexual-orientations, races etc. These are the very things upon which the diversity of our country is based, the very things that we pride ourselves in and the reason […]

12 Jan 2016

THIS MORNING AT SOLOMON MAHLANGU HOUSE BOUNCES ATTECKED STUDENTS

11 Jan 2016

STUDENT’S DEMANDS

Students’ demandsAs we embark on the no registration fee campaign to ensure that the gates of the university are open to all black people. This movement is geared towards the attainment of free education and the immediate implementation of free education in South Africa. Education in this country is reflective of our socio-economic conditions that […]

	Tuesday 04/12 10% Clear Clear. Low 14C.
	Tomorrow 04/13 10% Clear Sunshine. High 22C. Winds S at 15 to 30 km/h.

Friday, April 1st, 2016 at 6:34pm
RT @Julius_S_Malema: He must be thinking we are all fools

Thursday, February 25th, 2016 at 5:47am
All #UWC students, please make sure you have your student cards to enter campus today.

Wednesday, February 24th, 2016 at 5:21pm
#PrayForSA 🙏🏻🙏🏼🙏🙏🏽🙏🏾🙏🏿

Wednesday, February 24th, 2016 at 4:53pm
Got these two pics sent to me. Scenes at #NWU this evening. #NWUMafikeng https://t.co/hwEkhiP4x6

Wednesday, February 24th, 2016 at 4:50pm
Scenes at #NWU today... #ColourBlindness

Prayers are with all South Africans this evening 🙏🏽 https://t.co/0VdYTCFMLI

#UWCFeesWILLFall supports calls made by the University Convocation calling for the removal of ‘delinquent director’ Mtunzi Perry-mason Mdwaba.

The University Council, which is the highest decision making body of the University should be the epitome of high value and integrity. As to how Mthunzi Mdwaba was ‘appointed as Chairman without due diligence’ is extremely disturbing and as such we call for his immediate removal.

The ‘delinquent director’ through the manner he handled Students and calls for a Special Council seating to resolve matters so exams could be written in a conducive environment has shown that he is a novice, who like the Rector resolves to using brute force and intimidation rather than engaging aggrieved students.

We appeal to the University of the Western Cape’s Council members and other statutory bodies to stand up and save our institution’s highest decision making body from losing integrity through association with rogue elements like Mthunzi Mdwaba.

The movement shouts its loudest cries of help to all our parents, academics, staff and communities around UWC to immediately intervene to solve the mess created by Mthunzi Mdwaba’s arrogance and the University’s unwillingness to meet and engage with students.

The students of UWC, your children have over the last 3 weeks suffered the most physically and psychologically from not only the hands of the State(Police), who have shot, teargassed and thrown stun grenades at us, but also University management which brought numerous Private Army(s) to intimidate and victimise students.

We call to parents and students to raise their voices against the militarisation of UWC. Most importantly, against Management’s victimisation of students and workers who dare raise their voice in protests.

The University has arrested 16 of your children, its students and has systematically expelled them from University through the set bail conditions that prohibit them from entering campus and their residence rooms, effectively turning them into hobos with no place to stay or access to academic facilities/assistance as exams continue.

****** Issued by #UWCFeesWILLFall ******

#DeMilitariseUWC #StopStudentVictimation #ENDoutsourcing #FreeEducationNOW

Statement of the parents of UWC

15 November 2015

We are parents of students at the University of the Western Cape are in support of the Fees Must Fall campaign. We know our children. They are not violent nor hooligans. We strenuously reject, the crude propaganda of University management to cast them in this light. This is nothing short of attempting to criminalise the student struggle so as to avoid negotiating with their legitimate demands and grievances.

As parents we do not condone violence. We do not believe, however, that there is a symmetry between the violence of armed police and private security forces that indiscriminately shoot at students and their resistance.

There is a pattern of behaviour from those in power and their armed forces, which got its most heinous expression in the Marikana massacre that suggests that when protests are directed at authority, there is no need to engage. Rather the security forces are substituted for political processes. Those in power and authority wish to buffer themselves from legitimate protest, anger and frustration of those in society who are yet to taste freedom.

We also believe that it is important to contextualise the student confrontations In most cases it emerges as frustration with high-handed and unaccountable behaviour of the University Management. We understand that the recent clashes on the UWC campuses resulted from failure to meet with the students and the practice of reneging on agreements.

As parents we are also workers. We are very mindful of the deteriating situation of workers at both UWC . We stand in total support for workers to be directly employed by the universities. In other words we oppose outsourcing and support the call for insourcing.

In the interest of overcoming the present impasse and polarisation we call on the UWC management to :

Convene a special council where the “Fees Must fall” campaign can raise their concerns, demands and grievances.
Remove all security forces from the University campus, including the police, National Intelligence personnel and private security forces.
Withdraw charges against all students and allow all students to have access to the campus and to their residences. All disciplinary processes against students and workers must be stopped and withdrawn.
Management at UWC mediately lift all restrictions preventing students from studying, undermining access to lecturers for support, laboratories and libraries. Restrictions of students accessing their residence is inhumane and must be lifted immediately.
All attempts to evict students from residences should be immediately stopped. Students should be allowed to stay in residences until the January examination period so they can prepare properly.
Lecturers should be available to run catch up classes and support over the coming period to maximise conditions for exam preparation.
Desist from criminalising legitimate protests through interdicts.
Psychological support must be provided to students to overcome the trauma that has been experienced.

Should this be done we are confident that a lasting agreement can be reached.

Issued by Fees Must Fall Parents Solidarity Committee.
Further inquiries
Doreen February 0835246046 and
Marcus Solomon 072 4682156

Kindly donate to UWC’s Struggle

UWC Fees Must Fall
Business Current Acc
Acc #: 081360932
Swift: SBZAZAJJ

VOICES

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21 Nov 2015

URGENT CALL FOR MEDIATION AT UWC

As staff committed to a UWC where all are respected and listened to with the aim of being understood, we recognise that the issues currently facing UWC and higher education at large are complex matters. But this week and today the very existence and future of our university is in doubt.For this reason, we call […]

Thursday, March 31st, 2016 at 8:59pm
RT @WitsFMF: Happening at Wits tomorrow in solidarity with #NationalDayofAction for #VusiMahlangu. Please share widely! https://t.co/xHLO30…

Thursday, March 31st, 2016 at 8:15am
RT @lethabolakgale: @UJFMF: We call for all SRCs to be in solidarity with #BringBackVusi, this could happen to any student fighting injust…

Thursday, March 31st, 2016 at 8:15am
RT @MandisaTshuta: 👊👊 @UJFMF: We call for all SRCs to be in solidarity with #BringBackVusi, this could happen to any student fighting injus…

Thursday, March 31st, 2016 at 8:14am
RT @InkuluFreeHeid: Vusi Mahlangu still not found after going missing 2days ago #BringBackVusi https://t.co/WY9gqw18qB

Thursday, March 31st, 2016 at 8:12am
#BringBackVusi #BringBackVusi #ConCourt #IndvsWI #BringBackVusi https://t.co/EDMDjPTofX

OFFICE OF THE VICE-CHANCELLOR AND PRINCIPAL

Message from UJ’s Vice-chancellor and Principal
Thursday, 12 November 2015

Following a meeting between the Vice-Chancellor and the Management Executive Committee of the University of Johannesburg (UJ) and the leadership of the University’s Student Representative Council (SRC) as well as leaders of the protesting students, to discuss the students’ concerns, the following was the response of the University Management:

Suspended Students: The University Management will engage with the suspended students on the possibility of uplifting the suspensions. The conditions associated with the lifting of the suspensions shall be agreed on with each student.

Examinations: Students who could not write examinations due to the student protest should approach the Registrar with written requests for consideration to be granted an opportunity to write the examinations. Each case will be considered on merit.

Victimisation of workers: The University will further discuss with the respective employers of the affected workers the conditions for the workers to return to work. The employers will be engaged to ensure that no worker who participated in the protest is intimidated, no worker shall be retrenched as a result of the protest, no worker shall be redeployed outside of UJ and that no worker shall be disciplined on account of the protest.
Insourcing of workers: The University is committed to insource workers. The existing outsourced contracts shall not be renewed once it expire. A Task Team to develop a plan for insourcing the affected workers has been established and two representatives each from the students and outsourced workers will participate in the Task Team. The University Management will meet with the outsourced workers to discuss their matters of concern. The children of the outsourced workers who are admitted to the University will be exempted from payment of tuition fee in 2016.

Financial matters affecting registration and access to academic records: A task team of UJ Management and student representatives will be established to consider the following matters:

The minimum initial payment
Financial aid for 2nd tier students who do not qualify for NSFAS but cannot afford to pay
Access to academic records for students with financial debt
How to incentivize students to pay their fees
Management of the SRC Trust Fund
How UJ can ensure that NSFAS is allocated to deserving students

Accredited Off-Campus Accommodation matters of NSFAS funded students: Accredited Off-Campus accommodation matters including the monitoring of transport provision and the accommodation fees charged by off-campus service providers shall be addressed by the University Management.

Austerity measures: The financial allocation to student support programmes that UJ offers will not be affected by austerity measures. There will be no cuts in the following for 2016:

a. SRC Trust Fund – the fund will be expanded to cover a total of 5000 deserving students with the minimum initial payment
b. Student meal assistance programme
c. Intercampus bus service
d. R25 million top-up to NSFAS
e. Additional student printing allowance

Campus Clinic: The concerns raised of students required to make appointments for consultations at campus clinics as well as the availability of doctors to service each campus will be addressed.

Court order: UJ’s Management has taken note of students’ demand that the court order be lifted, however was not in a position to do so, since while it was the duty of Management to enable peaceful protests, it was equally its duty to guarantee the safety of students, staff and visitors, to safeguard University property and to ensure that the academic programme continues uninterrupted.

Removal of crowd controllers: UJ’s Management has taken note of students’ demand to remove crowd controllers, however the University employed the services of the crowd controllers to ensure that the normal academic business of the university continues.

Prof Ihron Rensburg
Vice-Chancellor

Press Release and Statement: UJ Night Vigil opposing brutality against protesters
Date: Friday the 13th November 2015

Venue: University of Johannesburg, Gate 1, Kingsway Road

Time: 18h00 (6pm)

In this historic moment, masses have risen to demand that the exploitative anti-black structural inequalities of our universities end. Around the country students, workers, academics and broader civil society, collectively, have decided that it is time that we reclaim our universities. Mass protest action, national shut downs and other means of raising our voices in the chorus of justice have taken place and the power of a mobilized youth, exploited class and conscious mass has shaken the core of an unjust system.

Up to this point and throughout the last month we have been provoked, baited and brutalised in response to our expressions of legitimate grievance. We have had guns and knives pulled on us. We have been driven over and pepper sprayed, teargassed, and shot at with rubber bullets. There have been bouncers on our campus, who have no respect for the lives of brave, courageous and committed students, academics and workers who have persisted in occupying UJ. All of this repression has been sanctioned and commanded by the Vice Chancellor and Principal, Ihron Rensburg who has chosen brutality over understanding.

141 students and workers were arrested on Friday last week during peaceful protests, with the chorus senzeni na? escaping our lips. Our mothers and fathers were arrested for fighting for their dignity, for demanding justice and for saying no to the exploitative and evil capitalist device of outsourcing!

At UWC the same has happened, and students have been arrested and their protest action violently quelled in order to silence them. The management of these universities have deliberately used police brutality and violent private security to attempt to silence us. However, this has not deterred us. Despite these attempts to derail our protest we have remained steadfast and disciplined. Our calls for justice will continue, we will not retreat, we will not surrender – SIYAQHUBA!

We do not feel safe when the university denies us access to the spaces in our institution that we call our own. We do not feel safe when the university management forces us into an area dictated by them, and where to put our bodies on the line, our lives at risk. We do not feel safe when we cannot trust the university to negotiate in good faith, and we do not trust the university management when it attempts to evict and banish us from our institution, leaving us as vulnerable, exiled bodies. At times like this we need to unite and come together to stand against the injustice perpetuated against us and our cause.

We demand that our universities desist from using the police and private security to monitor, intimidate, insult, abuse, disperse and arrest us. We are fighting not just for our own future, but for the future of every poverty-stricken, destitute and hopeless black body –Senzeni na? Sono sethu ubumnyama (What have we done? Is our sin only to be black?) We have up to now engaged in peaceful non-violent protest. We are here to address the issues of black students, of black workers. We are here to demand that our universities are true decolonised, African Universities, accessible to all.

Assata Shakur said, “I Believe In The Fire Of Love And The Sweat Of Truth” the truth will end the silent violence of poverty, the truth will end the silent violence against our brothers and sisters, the truth will end the silent violence against our mothers and fathers.

We invite all members of civil society, progressive organizations, students, workers and academics and all those who dare take a stand on the right side of history to join us for a Mass, peaceful Vigil to highlight and oppose the continued brutality enacted by private security and SAPS officials who are deployed by Vice Chancellor Ihron Rensburg.

For more Information Contact Comrade Anele Madonsela 0834412941

Aluta Continua!

#UJNightVigil #OccupyUJ #FeesMustFall #UWCFeesWillFall #Asijiki

VOICES

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9 Jan 2016

#UJFREEREGISTRATION.#OCCUPYUJ.#FEESMUSTFALLRELOADED

Dear comrades, I appeal that we take to social networks to make the #UJFreeRegistration, #OccupyUJ and #FeesMustFallReloaded viral… The Monday, 11 Jan program at UJ should act as a spark for all our impending protest action…. Those of us who near we should attempt to converge at UJ on Monday, 11 Jan to support the […]

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