Women-Victims of the 2016 Racist Protest at University of the Free State.

Women-Victims of the 2016 Racist Protest at University of the Free State.

By Rorisang David Mahlo.

Though the University of the Free State (UFS) has released a statement on the 4^th of March 2016 that strongly condemned the racist attack on protestors two weeks down the line, after the mass disruptions that resulted in total shut down of the whole University campus, from 23 to 26 February 2016; certain women were left with much agony that will forever stay in their minds.

The UFS Vice President of Student Representative Council (SRC) Mpho Khiti is one of those ladies who will always remember the 2016 UFS racist protest with tears; “When I remember those days my heartbeat changes” Said Khati. 

According to Khati, a small group of students and University workers went to Shimlas playground certain  that the Rector and Vice Chancellor of the University of the Free State will definitely be attending the rugby match between UFS’s Shimlas and Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University Madibas with a plan to have the Chancellor`s attention.

In the execution of their plan, which was the disruption of the match for the attention of the Rector, it is alleged that the white spectators flied from their seats and started beating up the protestors. “It is in this regard when I was beaten up by one giant white man who is not even a student or one of the university workers” states Khati.

According to Khati, in her entire life she had never experienced a physical torture by any one on Earth, but she never thought protesting for human rights at UFS could result in her being a victim of the circumstance. “This giant old man battered and kicked me on the face even when I was down, we were all humiliated in front of our Rector but he did not even utter any statement” Says Khati.

As if this was not enough some ladies were spotted, identified and detained by the battalion of police and UFS security at their residents. “One of my res-mate`s door was opened with a gun when they arrested her, you can imagine the sound of a gun in the room” says Khati.

On the other hand Trudy Roos, a white first year student, all the way from Cape Town, joined the University of the Free State under the impression that the University of the Free State has transformed from its bad old history of racism, and she now looks the university with a different perspective all together.

“I used to walk freely and fearlessly all over the campus at night when I got here, but I cannot do that anymore, even during day light, I cannot socialize with my black friends due to the prevalent atmosphere” Trudy say.

 Most importantly, Roos`s fear became worse when one of her friends was attacked in his resident (Vishuis) who suffered the knee injury that landed him to the hospital  by a group of workers and black students, and this was not reported anywhere. It is suspected that this happened during the time when all students staying in the university residents were evacuated by the police and university security for the safety of their lives.

“It was so terrible seeing him lying on the hospital bed with bandages surrounding his knees, while knowing that he has done nothing worth suffering for, and let alone seeing the pictures of his swollen knee from our WhatsApp chats. This was the time that I felt like quitting this university was the best option,” alluded Roos.

Both Khati and Roos are of the view that UFS 2016 protests has left them with a bad memories that will forever remain painful in their hearts. Ultimately and very sadly, they both reported that they do not believe in post trauma counselling phenomenon and that is what will make them remember that event with bloody broken hearts.

Entry 1: Journalism was never my passion

R. D. Mahlo Mr.

I started practicing as a media practitioner way back in 2002, which is the year I was first introduced to the basics of writing as a Journalist. At that time I was only writing to make a living prospects and Journalism was never my passion. Then three years later I graduated in Diploma in Mas communication Programme.

After this first stepping stone, I also got promoted and worked as an Assistant Information Officer responsible for writing press releases for the Ministry of Local Government. I also participated in in the production of the majority of the information and communication materials. Therefore my writing ability were more on the soft articles and press releases only.

Then, seven year later that was in 2008, I joined the University of the Free State on study leave, to further my studies. That was where I registered, BA Degree in Corporate Communications. It is in this degree where Journalism was one of my core course all the way from first year till the final year and I learned a lot then. In this regard I learned journalism in broader way, to an extent of venturing into media and newspaper management.

In 2011, which was after three year later, and after graduating as a degree holder, I rejoined my organisation. It is at this stage that I was promoted to serve as Senior Information officer, under direct supervision of the Chief Information Officer. In my office tenure, I was in charge for both Electronic media and Print Media for the Ministry. So I was mostly writing and editing all information and communication material to be published.

Later, after a period of three years and that was in 2014, I got another promotion and worked in the Ministry of Mining where I was on my own and all forms and formats of media were my responsibility. It is in this office where I had acknowledged and admitted my writing deficiency. In this office I was faced with greatest challenge of covering events alone, writing articles on my own, editing them on my own and also charged with the responsibility to produce variety of promotional material. That is where a need to improve my Journalistic skills took its tall.

Entry 2: Practice makes perfect; believe it or not

R. D. Mahlo Mr.

The year 2015, was my opportune time to act accordingly and I started doing the necessary preparations to go back to school to improve my writing deficiency. Then I was so lucky and got admitted at University of the Free State where I registered for Honours Degree in Journalism and Media Studies.

At the beginning of the year 2016 when I started writing more vigorously, it was really more hectic and very much demanding when I had to come up with a different article almost every week. What was even more challenging about this expedition was the fact that, I was expected to write different journalistic genres. This demanded a lot of studying to remind myself all the basics to engage as per each journalistic piece.

One classical but unforgettable assignment that will forever be unique in 2016 journalism class, was when as a class we were to come up with an article from our wallets. That sounded so crazy to me but, I can stand here to tell people that in very wallet, there could be as many stories as anything that is contain in it.

Nonetheless, only to realize it later that, it was highly necessary to keep practicing more regularly, as practice makes perfect. Ultimately, I ended up enjoying writing and reading different journalistic pieces within a short space of time. As a results, I can now confidently face my overwhelming challenge of production of promotional material without any fear or faivour.

As a result, I just want to admit that though I had all the basics, but I was not practicing enough, and at times I could rely on other people not knowing that one day one I could be faced with a dilemma to do almost everything from the spade work to the final product. Finally I want to give thanks to my two Journalism Lecturers who always burdened me with deadlines to meet, and instilled journalism passion as one of my inner abilities now.   

Through Thick and Thin

Born and bred in Sterkspruit, the rural areas of Eastern Cape, somewhere between the Free State Province and Port Elizabeth. Mzwandile Zwakala* has made it through thick and thin and no family member thought he will get to where he is today. Zwakala 1985, an original brilliant young Xhoza man, who had a very difficult childhood as a vigilant boy due to family ignorance, believe system and lack of education by his parents.

Zwakala`s parents were very primitive and never attended any school in their upcoming, and therefore had no idea about education. As a results Zwakala was faced with the conflict of interest as someone who grew up during the times when schooling was regarded as important means preparing for the bright future. But under the guidance of uneducated parents, Zwakala`s goal seemed very far fetched.

Worst of all, Zwakala`s parents believed only in cultural practices as the ideal ways of making it in life and regarded education as useless most especially for men (Amadoda in Xhoza Language). His parent also inherited the same legacy from their great fore parents who played a major role in modeling how his parents grew up too. However, Zwakala was the first exception in the family to show interest for education.

In acknowledging the challenges that he might have been facing, he had to inject himself with power and passion to push through and persevere against all odds. His quest for a change and transformation were sufficient motivation and pillar of strength to pull through. His parents expected him to follow their footsteps all the way but he had his own future dreams and plan which were mysterious as according to his parents.

After completing his primary education, his parents expected him to go to tradition school for circumcision. This as per his parent`s believe system, was of the most paramount importance for him to do, so as to be a complete traditional Xhoza man. Nevertheless, Zwakala wanted more of modern education than what his parents thought of, and that is where the conflict surfaced.

Simply because change is always resisted, Zwakala`s journey was not a smooth sale through. His father decided to withdraw his financial assistance when Zwakala proceeded to the high school level as he was regarded as an insubordinate child. Nonetheless, Zwakala`s determination for the change and education also carried him even against all these.

He had to come up with a plan to conquer his challenges in order to achieve his goals. On his own, Zwakala bravely went to the high school of his choice and that was Emlangeni High School*. He registered and enrolled, promising to pay up the first quarter fees towards the end of the quarter. When that time came, all parents then paid up for their children school fees but not Zwakala`s parents.

However, as young as he was, he had to approach the Head Master and explained his problem of conflicting interest with his parents. Then the head Master gave him a benefit of doubt and Zwakala managed to sit for the first quarter test together with other students. After the results of the first quarter test were published Zwakala was one of the top most performing students with all A+ Marks, except in accounting as it was a new subject in his life. This was his first break through.

Zwakala`s first impression to the head Master did not mean that all his transformation and education challenges were over, but for the change the Head Master solicited scholarship for him. Also Zwakala was faced with the challenge of what to wear and eat as his parents made it clear that they will no longer contribute into all these foreign useless things that Zwakala was following.

Very fortunately, during his tenure at high school, Zwakala was a talented young man who became lucky to be selected as choir conductor in three choirs thus; from school, at church and at community level. Therefore he benefited by pocketing a few bucks from each choir to make a living and to survive the struggle of learning with an empty stomach.

“I had to influence the spirit of hosting concerts and completions in choral choirs where money will be exchanged between the choirs. So during the concerts and the completions I would steal at least R100 from each choir so that I can put some bread on the table,” said Zwakala. He lived all his high school life in that way until he completed.

After completing and performing well at high school his parents thought Zwakala was now too much educated and it is high time for him to get back home for marriage and start working and taking care of family responsibility. But according to Zwakala that was just the beginning.

The situation got worse at home for Zwakala as he was named all derogative names like “the big headed, the prodigal son, the alien” and many more. At times, he would be sidelined from the important family activities. But all these could not manage to distract Zwakala`s focus on his mission.

Asked whether his parents ended up giving up him or not; Zwakala showed that, he realised that they were now about to disown him, and laughingly he said, “Man in order to reconnect with my father firstly, I had to go to the initiation school in mountains.” While he was in there, his father instructed him to join him at Golden Mines in Free State immediately after the initiation school. “But I told him that there is high possibility that I might be admitted at University of the Free State where I have a plan to further my studies,” Said Zwakala.

“I read the agony on my father’s face that he did not like the sound of my answer but it was a fact,” said Zwakala. Indeed after accomplishing his father`s will, he left home to further his studies. According to him, no one from his entire family had ever been recognized as educated. “I was the first one to make a new family record of completing primary education, and high school education, I made a history in the family,” Said Zwakala.

“At the stage that I am right now, the sky is the limit, nothing will ever stand on my way, I went through the toughest challenges that made me the icon of change that I am today,” he smiled. Currently, Zwakala is a final year student in the faculty of the Economics and management, whose academic record is proving his burning desire to bring about change and family transformation in his family.

Asked where does he sees himself in the period of five years from now, his vigilant response said, he had broken so many records in his family and “I could visualize myself in a graduation gown, not of Masters but at PHD level. And I want my family to bright themselves with the First Dr. Zwakala with me. Whether through thick and thin, but mark my words, I am going to do it,” He concludes, with his fingers crossed before his face.   

What will be fate of UFS students post the 2016 fees must fall

Protesting UFS Students 

The majority of the parents who have registered their children at University of the Free State in Bloemfontein main campus must be worried by now as to; what will be the effects and fate of their children after the fees must fall movement has subsided.

Considering the timing at which this movement peaked up, it must definitely be likely to bear negative consequences to all students. However, if it cannot come to the good senses of the activists of this movement, more grievances are also yet to be experienced by most UFS students and parents.

Under normal circumstances, the third quarter at UFS is taken as a most important time during which academic activities are finalised. Most importantly, it is time at which students have to engage the gear for examination`s mood. However the year 2016 has come up with a different dispensation of fees must fall, that holds every university and academic activities at their complete halt.

In the contents of letter written by Prof. Nicky Morgan, Acting Rector of the University of the Free State on the University`s website to the Parents/Guardians and Students, dated 8^th October 2016; it is stated that approximately 6,000 students will not receive their complete transcripts of their degrees and the certificates for their qualifications as a results of fees must fall if it goes beyond the set exam schedules.

In not allowing the year to continue and students to finish, Prof. Morgan reiterated that “we are throwing away the efforts that entire families of poor people who have made for four or five years to put their children through university.” Based on the contents of this letter, the promise of free education for future generations means nothing to these families who are poor at the present.

According to Prof. Morgan the University is highly committed to support UFS students to put pressure on the government to commit itself to accept the many suggestions put forward to make free education possible within a negotiated timeframe. But he also warns students and their parents that violence and property destruction cannot bring any solution.

Also Prof. Morgan goes on to show that “We do not have the capacity to teach double the number of students in the second semester.”  This also misses the point that those students who were completing modules in order to graduate, will waste an entire year (assuming they have funding) to complete their degrees. This argument does not see the knock-on effect that students, not promoting in modules from first to second and second to third year and the likes will have. Finally, this also misses the point of what will happen to students who have to repeat first-semester modules.

In his conclusion prof. Morgan believes that it is absolutely necessary to find an amicable means of protesting and political action that will not jeopardize the future of current students and the country’s desperate need for critical skills. 

However listening to student representative council president, Lindokuhle Ntuli on the ENCA news, he vowed that protest at the University would continue and that no classes would resume until they convened a University assembly with management to agree on issues including strategies on how the University and students cooperate to put pressure on the government.

Also Ntuli showed that they have demanded a University meeting to be held on Wednesday or Thursday for the University to address them on issues that are currently happening and also to make its position very clear on how they are going to support students protesting for free and quality education.

At the national level, President Jacob Zuma has just set up a Ministerial Task Team that will help Blade Nzimande to normalize the situation at higher education institutions. This gesture came as a result of realization that numerous Universities and tertiary institutions remained closed as students continue with the Fees-Must-Fall protests.

In his state address on SABC news on the 11^th of October 2016 Mr. President Zuma has urged cooperation with the Ministerial Task Team and has appealed to students to return to classes while solutions are being sought.

Another Shocking Big Bang at UFS

After a lengthy collaboration of talks and deliberations on the national crises named #Feesmustfall; between the University of the Free State Management and all stakeholders, yet another shocking double impact big bang to suspend classes and lectures until October 28^th, 2016 was heard. This message has been uploaded recently on the October 14^th, 2016 on the University`s website, following a five days one that came prior the current one.

The purpose of the talks was to negotiate the possibility and a mutual way in which the University of the Free State and its internal and external stakeholders could both reach a consensus on the demands of the students` free quality tertiary education for all.

Most importantly it was expected that amongst the tabled issues, one of them would also be a demand from students to establish the University management`s the stand point with regard to the student movement. 

This happened shortly after the university has reopened for the two weeks independence break that came prematurely to the normal University calendar schedule due to the then prevalent protest at UFS campus since September 19^th, 2016. 

Therefore in the analyses of things, since September 19^th to October 14^th, 2016, this movement has lasted for almost closed to a month by now. As a results, the worrying questions have begun to surface now. For instance, the big question is; when will the government ever intervene in this Matter? Secondly why is the government so silent about this? Also, what is going to be the effect and fate of students involved?

These questions are provoked by the fact that, all this chaos came as result of the announcement made by the Minister responsible for the high education “Blade Ndzimande” on September 18^th, 2016 that the fees for high education are going to be increased by 80 percent from the next financial year. Since then, there has never been tranquility in the majority of the most South African Universities.

Instead the recent observation is that, there is an escalating distortion the peace in most South African campuses. Some students have been arrested and some Universities properties have been damaged due to this. There is also a fear that this might lead to blood shared. This has now gone too far that the government was supposed to announce it as a state of emergency at Universities that require a serious concerted national attention.

The Comprehensive Review of Tsotsi Movie

Tsotsi DVD Cover

What an amazing movie that shows a ruthless young man who later gets transformed into being a better person, instead of getting worse. "Tsotsi" is a film of high emotional driven power in which a young brutal killer with cold eyes that show no emotions or any remorse. He kills mercilessly and ultimately finds himself being forced to change for better by the helplessness of a baby that he co-opted as he robbed the Mercedes Benzes from the baby`s mother  at their suburb house.

  

The story is based on a novel by the South African writer Athol Fugard, directed and written by Gavin Hood. This movie won the Oscar for best foreign film in 2006. The setting for this movie is in Soweto, the township on the southern outskirts of Johannesburg where the shabby little shacks were overcrowded. The selected setting seem to be hit by poverty and desolation, but also a hope and opportunity as Soweto is a hub of most popular politicians, entrepreneurs, artists, musicians, as well as the worst thugs.

Tsotsi (Presley Chweneyagae) a lead character with the true characters of being born and bred in Soweto at its best. Tsotsi`s real name is not known until later in the film as provoked by one of his gangsters demanding to know who he really is; "tsotsi" means a "thug," and of which he exactly lived most of his life as. Tsotsi lead an uncontrollable-knight gang that cruelly robbed, looted, shot and killed innocent people. Their everyday means of living was only based on forcefully taking whatever that was not legitimately theirs.

The cinematographic sentiments of this movie truly gives a real feeling of practical reality and a conducive setting for Tsotsi to demonstrate his true nature of being one. For instance, dark lighting gives an impression of knight times, again the action speed and precision of acting certain scenes conforms to that of the normal way that true thugs will normally do things on the darkness. Most importantly, the sound bits and music used fits perfectly well as it used the old Kwaito music that used “flight-tongue” which is one of the South African indigenous languages used in local townships.   

As the movie unfolds, in a crowded train, Tsotsi and his gang, clinically stabbed a man who died instantly without anyone noticing; they held his body up with their own, took his wallet, and fleet when the train doors opened. But when his gang star friend Boston (Mothusi Magano) asked him how he really felt, whether decency has ever came into him, he fought with him and walked off into the night where he operated alone for a while.

In the mist of his loitering, Tsotsi found himself in a high class suburb. Such areas in Joburg are usually gated and butler proved communities, each house is surrounded by a security wall, every gate warning with tag “armed response." Suddenly an African professional woman got out of her Mercedes to ring the buzzer on the gate, so that her husband could open the gate for her. As usual, Tsotsi shot her, stole her car and hastily drove off. In no time as he was recklessly driving a stolen car, knocking down almost everything that was nearby, he suddenly realised that he has mistakenly co-opted a helpless passenger: “an infant- a baby boy.”

Nonetheless, irrespective of cold blooded Tsotsi was, but he could not kill a baby. He decided to take a baby with him, to his shack. He thought of some options to dumb a baby at places like a church or an orphanage, but he did not have the guts to do it. He was stuck with the baby and now as his without any choice. One can guess that he decided not to abandon the boy because he too was once abandoned, and the only option was keep the baby boy with him for his own self-mercy.

As the time went on, considering the trouble of attending the needs of an infant the violence in the film decelerated. Tsotsi was now overwhelmed by a new added responsibility of nursing a baby, he used newspapers as diapers, fed the baby a condensed milk, and carried the baby around with him in a shopping bag everywhere he went to.

In desperation and failing the baby`s needs, he forces Terry Pheto (a nursing mother) at gunpoint to feed the child. She lived in a nearby shack, a clean and cheerful one. As he watched her do what he demanded, something shifted inside of him, and all of his hurt and grief were revived. However being preoccupied by the baby he simply stopped being active as an evil one and concentrated on babysitting the boy without much of the choice.

At the end, Terry Pheto who was always victimized by Tsotsi to feed, wash and change the baby, managed to touch Tsotsi`s heart by convincing him to return the baby to his biological parents, as they were desperately in need of the boy. At that time Tsotsi was so emotionally attached to the boy but he did a brave kindest thing thing of not his nature and brought back the boy to the rightful parents. For him, that was not an easy decision, to let go of his soulmate – the precious baby boy. However, through tears, and acknowledgment his failure, and desperation of the baby boy`s biological parents he surrendered the baby on police gun point; What an emotional scene that is! 

Also, the nursing mother Terry Pheto as a quiet counterpoint to his rage. She made reasonable decisions. She acted not as a heroine but as a realist who wanted to push Tsotsi in a direction that will protect her own family and this helpless baby, and then perhaps even Tsotsi against himself as well. These two performances, by Chweneyagae and Pheto, are surrounded by temptations to overact or cave in to sentimentality; they step safely past them and play the characters as they might actually live their lives.

What a simple and yet profound story this is. It does not romanticize poverty in Soweto or make Tsotsi more colorful or sympathetic than he should be; if he deserves praise, it is not for becoming a good man but for allowing himself to be distracted from the diabolic job of being an evil young blood sucker. Ultimately, this movie demonstrates how some petty things can sometimes affect and change the brutal hearts that cannot be repented by the word of God.