#FeesMustFall movement named 2016 newsmaker
The movement was awarded for its huge impact on the country’s tertiary education system.
The National Press Club has awarded the #FeesMustFall movement as the newsmaker of the year for 2016.
The award ceremony was organised by the press club in conjunction with the Sefako Makgato Health Science University and hosted by the CSIR International Convention on Friday night.
Press club chairperson Tanya De Vente-Bijker said there was no doubt that the #FeesMustFall movement has made a huge impact on the country’s tertiary education system.
“The campaign resulted in the South African government announcing a zero increase in university fees for 2017,” she said.
Mashudu Nthulane, SRC president from the University of Venda, accepted the award on behalf of the movement.
Professor Chris De Beer commended the student demands as legitimate, but criticised incidents of violence and destruction that accompanied the #FeesMustFall protests.
“I disapprove strongly the continued interruptions of academic programmes, especially during critical phases of an academic year,” he said.
Thousands of students shut down university campuses through #FeesMustFall protests demanding free higher education for all.
De Beer believes the #FeesMustFall movement will help find a solution to the legitimate expectation of public institutions to be funded realistically in accordance with the mandatory responsibilities and associated cost drivers.
“This will help remove the financial barriers inhibiting the access of deserving poor and middle class students to higher education and bring noticeable relief to their already incurred debt burden,” he said.
The National Press Club annually awarded the newsmaker of a year based on the amount of media coverage and the impact of the coverage.
The organisation received nominations and motivations from press club members. A final decision on the winner was taken by the executive committee.
