An influence of the #FEESMUSTFALL movement on student politics: a case study of the Durban University of Technology 2016-17 Steve Biko campus.

Abstract

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.