Education
UCT commits to “insourcing” - and other reports from the #FeesMustFall protests
The University of Cape Town (UCT) has agreed, in principle, to employ its workers directly, and charges were dropped against 23 protesters. But at Wits, students and reporters were intimidated by protesters. Here are reports of today's protest activities from Cape Town, East London and Johannesburg.
GroundUp staff
News | 28 October 2015
When are universities writing exams?
Many universities have postponed exams due to protest action. Here is an update of the situation at various institutions based on their official communications as of 16:00 on 28 October.
Ashleigh Furlong
News | 28 October 2015
Mother accuses principal of caning her son
Despite the South African Schools Act prohibiting the use of corporal punishment, caning continues in many schools. Now a Pietermaritzburg mother has had enough, and she's laid a complaint with the police against her son's school principal.
Ntombi Mbomvu
News | 28 October 2015
Fort Hare students vow to continue protests
University of Fort Hare students have vowed to continue with their #FeesMustFall protests after an exchange of letters with Vice-Chancellor Mvuyo Tom.
Nombulelo Damba-Hendrik and Siphesihle Matyila
News | 27 October 2015
Khayelitsha teenagers start radio show
Learners from the Centre for Science and Technology (COSAT), Khayelitsha, aired their first high school radio show last week. And they’re not shying away from difficult topics. The group, known as the Optimistic Youth Reporters (OYR), debated teenage pregnancy in a twenty minute live broadcast for staff and their fellow students in the school hall.
Pasqua Heard
News | 27 October 2015
Universities closed and exams postponed
Exams and classes have been postponed indefinitely in a number of universities, as student protests continued. The main focus of demonstrations is shifting to the issue of outsourced workers at tertiary institutions. Differences among students about how to proceed have come to the fore. At some institutions accusations and counter-accusations of intimidation were made between students representing opposing views.
GroundUp Staff
News | 26 October 2015
As Zuma agrees to no fee increase, police and students clash in Pretoria and Cape Town
From Pretoria to East London, from Cape Town to Stellenbosch, and even in London, students and their supporters demanded a zero percent increase to fees. But while most of the protests were peaceful, at UWC and Pretoria protesters and police clashed.
GroundUp Staff
News | 23 October 2015
We are putting our bodies on the line, say students at Ashley Kriel Memorial
Students will shut down universities until there is agreement on a 0% fee increase next year, representatives of student organisations said in Cape Town last night.
GroundUp staff
News | 23 October 2015
Lessons from the student protests of the 1980s
Activist Mandy Sanger, who was part of student-led opposition to apartheid through the Committee of 81 in Cape Town, delivered the annual Ashley Kriel memorial lecture sponsored by the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation and the University of the Western Cape last night. Here is a brief extract from her speech.
Mandy Sanger
Opinion | 23 October 2015