Student Representative Council

University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Private Bag 3, Wits, 2050 South Africa
Tel +27 11 717 9203 l Fax + 27 11 717 9201 l www.wits.ac.za

Wits SRC statement on the #FeesMustFall movement

The Wits Student Representative Council (SRC) has undertaken the revolutionary burden of
confronting the issue of the outsourcing of workers, financial exclusion of students and fee
increments. We note the appalling conditions that our mothers and fathers are subjected to and the
commodification of education in South Africa. When we started our #WitsFeesMustFall protest
we had no idea the kind of momentum it would gain or the impact it would make not just
nationally, but internationally. It developed into the movement that it is today (#FeesMustFall),
one that has forced this country to relook at the higher education space and its exclusionary
practises. It has been the biggest student protest and instance of student rallying under one banner
since the dawn of democracy. It is us, the youth of 2015 that has revived student activism in the
broader discourse of society. We have made history as students in 2015 through this movement.
When we began there were two main focuses (along with our other demands, see below) to our
movement: the first calling for an end to outsourcing and of course a 0% fee increment. During the
last two weeks of our mass protest action, the SRC and fellow student leaders led actions that were
directed at different institutions for various reasons. We protested first against the University
Council and the Vice Chancellor of Wits University. It then proceeded to Luthuli House (African
National Congress (ANC) Headquarters) and eventually on Friday the 23rd of October the protest
culminated in thousands of students from across the country protesting at the Union Buildings.
The President of the Republic of South Africa, President Jacob Zuma met with various student
leaders from across the various institutions on the 23rd of October (a meeting which the Wits SRC
chose to abstain from) and the 0% fee increment was agreed upon. We note that the meeting and
the general happening of the 23rd of October was problematic for several reasons. However the 0%
increment is a victory, it is not the final objective of our movement but it is nonetheless an initial
victory.
We have emerged victorious in many of our national and local calls:
1) A 0% fee increment for 2016 for all universities across the country!
2) The government has committed to convert NSFAS into grants (as opposed to loans), for
poor students.
3) Long-term issues to be addressed include free education, institutional autonomy, racism,
and black debt.

Student Representative Council

University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Private Bag 3, Wits, 2050 South Africa
Tel +27 11 717 9203 l Fax + 27 11 717 9201 l www.wits.ac.za

4) No increase in Wits fees including that of tuition and residential.

5) Extension and restructuring of the remaining academic programme and exam timetable
that will allow students adequate time to prepare and catch up.
6) Extension of the accommodation period for residential students.
7) Drafting of a progressive Workers Charter with the various stakeholders especially those
most affected, the workers themselves.
8) The establishment of an internal commission to investigate insourcing methods and their
viability as well as the negative effects of outsourcing. The commission will have
sufficient representation of the most important stakeholders.
9) To seek financial support for the children of all Workers who are outsourced and who
qualify for Wits admission.
10) The University has agreed, in principle, to make every effort to resolve outstanding issues
in good faith.
11) No disciplinary action will be taken against students involved in the protest.
12) The calling of a General Assembly should we require it.

We note that while our protest to the Union Buildings on 23rd October was partly successful, there
remain several questions that the University in particular needs to address. We note that there is
uncertainty of the 0% increment figure in respect of upfront fee payment and international
students fees. We remain steadfast in our call for the scrapping of the upfront front fee payment
for those who cannot afford it (or at least a significant discount must be provided for).
Furthermore we are calling for the freezing of the upfront fee payment of R 9 340 for 2016.
Accordingly, the University needs to make a clear determination in this respect. We call for the
university to revise and discontinue its policy on outsourcing workers. It is not enough for the
University to seek to hand over, issues that fall within the ambit of its jurisdiction, to external
parties who may, themselves, be responsible, although indirectly. We therefore call for the
complete removal of the upfront fee payment for poor students. We further recognise that for far
too long, the University has used the upfront fee payment as a mechanism to exclude academically
deserving but indigent students.

Student Representative Council

University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Private Bag 3, Wits, 2050 South Africa
Tel +27 11 717 9203 l Fax + 27 11 717 9201 l www.wits.ac.za

We are also calling on the university to engage in discussion with outside, private accommodation
groups such as South Point (but not limited to) to best facilitate the accommodation of students
during the academic extension. On the issue of international students the University must engage
home affairs to best facilitate issues that may arise because of the extension.
The Wits SRC notes that the 0% fee increment is a short term victory that we applied a short term
strategy to achieve. We remain steadfast in our call for free education in our lifetime and we
acknowledge that this 0% increment is not just a step in the right direction but is also a turning
point to attaining free education. Long term goals require long term and sustainable strategies in
order for us to be successful. Shutting down the University was a short term strategy used to
secure the 0% fee increment as well as the other internal demands that were made to Council.
From our engagement with students we have found that students wish to continue in our call and
fight for free education. We must also evolve our movement from short term to long term so that
we can attain our goals. We note that there are many students who wish to continue with the
Universitys teaching and learning program while continuing the long term fight for free
education.
Academic progress means different things to different students. For some students it is a means to
an end, for others there are bursary and contractual commitments that bind them on strict timelines
to go and work but for many students attaining this degree means alleviation from poverty. We
note that these issues are not mutually exclusive and that it would be unfair for the SRC or anyone
for that matter to make students choose between exams and their future versus the genuine and
noble cause of Free Education that we all advocate for.
We further note and strongly condemn the politicisation of our protests as a student body. This
protest action was initiated by the Wits Student Representative Council with the sole intention of
advancing the student agenda and nothing else. We would like to ensure the student body that this
remains our sole premise. Further, we reject any political influences that seek to distract this
cause. We urge students to be alerted towards any unprompted revolutionaries that seek to uproot
us and our cause.
The movement to fight for fees to fall and to advocate for free education continues. It must evolve
into a long term plan that involves all stakeholders to engage on the matter and further provide
feasible timelines and ways forward. However, free education is a matter of national importance

Student Representative Council

University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Private Bag 3, Wits, 2050 South Africa
Tel +27 11 717 9203 l Fax + 27 11 717 9201 l www.wits.ac.za

and effect. It therefore requires a national plan and task team comprising of students and student
leaders from across the country. One needs time to regroup and strategise appropriately with
effective tactics. We have won our short term goals through short term strategies. We have won
the battle, a great battle, but the war for free education continues with a renewed strategy.
Therefore we will resume academic activities on Wednesday 28th October.
With these victories in hand, we acknowledge and fully appreciate that it was a collective effort on
the part of the student body in its entirety. We would like to thank everyone who came out in their
numbers to support whether it was through financial means, food donations, legal assistance or
just general moral support. But most importantly we would like to thank you the student for
making this movement what it is.

Yours in the forwarding the mandate by students,

Issued by:
Wits Student Representative Council 2014/2015
&
Wits Student Representative Council 2015/2016