The seemingly protracted Wits students’ #FeesMustFall protest has attracted the sympathy of some of the university’s black staff members.
In a written protest statement in the form of a petition dated 18 October, a group calling itself the Black Academics Caucus said a collective of black academics, administrative staff and other workers, organised as Concerned Black Staff, were deeply concerned and against the heavy securitisation and militarisation of the university campuses.
The statement said the increase in the number of heavily-armed police and private security at the university in the past four weeks was unacceptable. “As members of the university community, the escalation in violence in the name of safety is deeply concerning,” read the statement.
“Securitisation and militarisation of the campuses [have] exacerbated tensions and conflict. While management says that everything was normal and should remain calm, it is clear that summoning staff and students to continue with work, endangers and risks lives and the psychological well-being [of these people]. We believe that decisions made by the Senior Executive Team do not uphold this mandate.”
The statement further said that black staff and students, especially those not actively involved in the protests, felt unsafe and were treated as suspicious and potential criminals. The group demanded that the police and private security be removed, and for vice-chancellor Adam Habib, to listen to and engage with concerned staff and students.
The circulating petition was confirmed by Wits lecturer Danai Mupotsa who said the staff members felt vulnerable and were caught up in the conflict.
Mupotsa also cited an instance when she was allegedly denied entry into a building, despite producing a staff card, while a white colleague was let in without being asked for a similar card. This, she said, was racial profiling and a sign of the institution’s failed transformation.
Details: Danai Mupotsa danai.mupotsa@gmail.com; 082 699 2337 or Thandi Buso thandi.buso@wits.ac.za; 083 474 6442.
