White supremacists are behind the #FeesMustFall protests and are funding violent protest action, the ANC Youth League (ANCYL) said on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Unathi Tshatwana, ANCYL convenor for the Dullah Omar region, said at a press conference these \u201cimperialists\u201d were using students and their protests to vandalise institutions \u201cwhile their children are studying overseas\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have never seen a march where students are given money, food and paid to march against an institution,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Students can\u2019t be allowed to be destructive and stand in the way of others trying to complete their studies, Tshatwana insisted.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe condemn the burning of libraries. Where must students study if they are burning it? Where must students live if they are burning residences? We must take action.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhite supremacists are the third force behind this. They enjoy the strikes and disruptions because they think we can\u2019t govern and keep things civilised.\u201d<\/p>\n
He warned that the ANCYL would march if any protesters stand in the way of others registering for the new academic year, even offering its members to act as security.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe ANC Youth League is the champion of education. If university management can\u2019t protect students, they must call us. We don\u2019t want to be paid. We can\u2019t allow institutions to be destabilised.\u201d<\/p>\n
He also slammed institutions that still taught in Afrikaans, saying it disadvantaged black students and was the reason why a number of black students failed.<\/p>\n
After a press briefing on Sunday, the ANCYL met with university student leadership at a Cape Town hotel.<\/p>\n
Sasco president, Moloja Thabo, said the main purpose of the meeting was to \u201cunpack, practically, the decisions made by the department of education and ANC NEC education sub-committee and other government formations, on the lingering student concerns, what those decisions mean for students with regards to student registration, historic debt, current year’s financial obligations and the broader question of university access\u201d.<\/p>\n
Moloja said the meeting also aimed to discuss the problems facing the \u201cmissing middle\u201d \u2013 those who don\u2019t qualify for NSFAS funding but also couldn\u2019t afford university fees.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe ANC NEC education sub-committee has put in place a process to develop a new funding model to provide loans for students in this category and that the new funding model would be tested in the 2017 academic year for full implementation in 2018.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll institutions have made special arrangements to cater for that particular category. The basic principle is for those students performing academically are that they will never be excluded for financial reasons.\u201d<\/p>\n
News24<\/a><\/p>\n #FeesMustFall is back<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\nMore on student protests<\/h3>\n