Ace Magashule surfs students’ protest wave

ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule surfed the wave of student anger on admission and fees yesterday, laying down a strong marker from the ANC faction loyal to Jacob Zuma that they will use the issue as a tool in their battle against President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Magashule told the protesters outside the ANC’s Luthuli House headquarters, before marching with them to the Constitutional Court: “Your struggle is our struggle.”

Then, in a barb aimed at those questioning how free education will be funded, he said: “Any one of the leaders of the ANC, who says free basic education is not our policy position, is not a member of the ANC. Throughout the years we have adopted these positions.”

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Earlier, the Wits University student representative council chased away uMkhonto weSizwe Military Veterans spokesman Carl Niehaus – a staunch ally of Magashule and former president Jacob Zuma – when he came to “support the students”, telling him they did not want the #WitsAsinamali protest hijacked and the narrative of their demonstration changed.

Niehaus returned with Magashule and was included in the protest march. Magashule said students’ demands for the scrapping of historical debt were genuine, that the ANC had always called for free education and the party’s national working committee on Wednesday discussed the protests.

“We have directed government to find money and resources for your demands because your demands are genuine,” he added.

“Government today will actually ensure your demands are going to be met because we said education is priority number one. If education is priority number one, you have to reinvest resources.”

Earlier, Minister of Police Bheki Cele said the death of Mthokozisi Ntumba, 35, during protests on Wednesday had “no grain of explanation”.

“It is something that has no inch, no grain of explanation or defence on it. Somebody, for me, just went crazy,” Cele said as he left Ntumba’s home.

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Ntumba was allegedly shot dead by police as he walked out of My Clinic in Braamfontein while police were dispersing student protesters. He was apparently shot three times.

The Independent Police Investigative Directorate is investigating the case, but no arrests have been made so far.

Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande said the National Student Financial Aid Scheme would be able to release funds and registrations could continue.

“The budget has been moved from just under R36 billion last year to R42.1 billion this year,” said Nzimande.

Wits University vice-chancellor Zeblon Vilakazi said discussions with student leaders would continue.

reitumetsem@citizen.co.za

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