School of Social Sciences

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An influence of the #FEESMUSTFALL movement on student politics: a case study of the Durban University of Technology 2016-17 Steve Biko campus.
(2022) Mokua, Kabelo Phillip.; Vilakazi, Fikile Mabel.
The years 2015/16 were a significant period in the history of student activism in higher education in South Africa. The period resulted in thousands of university students across the country demonstrating for free decolonized education. As a result, thousands of students were subjected to police brutality, confrontation, and arrests through the use of force, rubber bullets and tear gas amongst other things. This has in many institutions of learning amounted to damage to property and affected teaching and learning. The genuine concerns and demands of students for free higher education and conducive learning spaces for the black majority in South Africa, saw the former President Jacob Zuma announcing 0% fee increment and commitment for feasibility of free higher education in South Africa. In this regard, this research sought to examine the influence of the #FeesMustFall [#FMF] movement on student politics and to understand how the university management at the Durban University of Technology, Steve Biko Campus, responded to the #FeesMustFall demands of students. The study used a qualitative approach in exploring the influ1dxence of the #FMF movement in student politics. A theoretical lens of social justice was used to engage with this research, and it advocates for the distribution of power, resources, and benefits in society without favour of gender, race, ethnicity, religion, ability, and any other status. Study findings show that there was a positive influence on student politics from the #FMF movements. One key positive outcome was that all student political parties namely: the South African Student Congress [SASCO], the Economic Freedom Fighters Student Command [EFFSC], the Democratic Alliance Student Organization [DA] and the Black Land First Student Organization [BLF] amongst others found their voices uniting under the national call for free and decolonized h i g h e r education. This unity amongst student leaders, varied political formations and various social groupings revived and encouraged youth to engage more in student politics. It was also found that the relationship between student leaders and University management at DUT became overwrought due to a violent approach and tactic used by the #FeesMustFall student movement. In some instances, this has resulted in fatalities and casualties physically, emotionally, economically, politically, and psychologically in the lives of students, University infrastructure and student politics in general. This thesis recommends therefore a need for national reflection on higher education in South Africa and student activism based on a case and lessons of #FMF movement. This national reflection needs to investigate, confront, and raise important questions with regards to equity, access, decoloniality and transformation in higher education as a critical discourse and call to action after twenty-five years of democracy in South Africa.
Re-defining white privilege: students’ perceptions of white privilege in post-apartheid South Africa.
(2021) Shezi, Nombulelo Sharon.; Cele, Nokuthula Peace.
During the apartheid era, race was a barometer that determined what privilege an individual was privy. In order to ensure the maintenance of this privilege, segregation laws were introduced. Washrooms, beaches, transport, and other public amenities were allocated according to races, with white people getting quality facilities. Thus, white people enjoyed a multitude of benefits at the expense of black people (Africans, Coloureds & Indians). The 2016 Fees Must Fall movement spearheaded by South African university students introduced the controversial topic of white privilege. Due to the gruesome history of apartheid and the tension that still exists in South Africa's social fabric, this topic further divided South Africans into factions. For months on end, controversial topics regarding race, racism, and white monopoly were deliberated on all media platforms. This study is framed within theories of social constructionism and the empowerment theory. In order to examine how race is socially constructed in South Africa (SA) and the perceptions of race in post-apartheid South Africa, this study drew on two case studies by Bhana & Pattman, and Oakes and Misgun. Secondly, the empowerment theory highlights that it is through the political, economic, and social empowerment of the individual and communities that a society flourishes (Zimmerman, Israel, Schulz & Checkoway, 1992). Twenty-four interviews were conducted with students at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Howard College to determine how students perceive white privilege in post-apartheid South Africa. An additional hundred and two questionnaires were distributed via Google Forms to determine how individuals from different socio-economic contexts perceive white privilege, race and racism. This study discovered that despite the end of apartheid, many of apartheid's racialized patterns of privilege have persisted and 'race' continues to influence one's access to essential resources. This is despite the introduction of transformative policies aimed at redressing the colonial legacies.
Students’ insight and understanding of the notion ‘decolonisation of the curriculum in higher education’ at the University of Kwazulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg.
(2018) Ndamane, Sindiswa Nobuntu Psyche.; Rama, Sharmla.
The #FeesMustFall protest in South African Universities in 2015 and 2016 saw students raise, amongst their concerns regarding the nature of the higher education curriculum and the inability of some students to afford higher education. In terms of the former, students called for a decolonised higher education curriculum. In spite of the growing calls for decolonisation, there are contestations about what decolonisation is and how it can best be implemented in the country’s higher education institutions. In addition, cumulative evidence affirms that some students have little or no knowledge of what decolonisation means and are rather absorbing populace or rhetorical stances (Oelofsen, 2015). This study investigates students’ understanding of the meaning of a ‘decolonised curriculum’. This qualitative study employed in-depth face-to-face interviews with fifteen students across different Colleges at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg campus. The sample of participants included two student organisations leaders and thirteen student members of these organisations. Thematic analysis was used to report key findings. Paulo Freire’s concept of critical consciousness and Steve Biko’s black consciousness has been used to understand the factors that shape students’ ideas and notions of the decolonised curriculum. The study shows that students acknowledge the challenges in the implementation of the decolonised curriculum in universities. Using more African based authors rather than western authors in the curriculum is one of the ways it can be transformed. The language was also identified as critical to debate on the curriculum. Students believe that if the curriculum is taught in South African indigenous languages, academic performance would improve. Renaming the university infrastructures and facilities also becomes the main proposal from students who claim that they do not identify with individuals whose names are used to label university buildings. Students recommended that the renaming of the buildings be taken into consideration because it is highly associated with decolonisation of the curriculum and university. Participants recommended that more formal dialogues should be conducted between academics and students. Students also need to do more research on decolonising the curriculum so that they can avoid rhetorical arguments and stances.

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