Caroline Setsiba, a June 1976 activist, has a powerful message regarding the #FeesMustFall campaign that she wants to share with the community.
Setsiba is a veteran of the 1976 Soweto Student Uprising, in which South African students demanded an end to apartheid rule. During this time, she was arrested and detained without trial in 1977, 1979 and in 1981 for her unceasing efforts against apartheid. She claims she was even tortured and placed in solitary confinement for six years.
In 2008, she was invited to tell her story in America, by the President of Hobart William Smith College, who was a former Chief of Staff in the White House, and also a close friend of Bill Clinton. She was even invited to a dinner at which Clinton was present.
Setsiba is not looking back, however. She is looking at the now, the present and how a big part of the community is suffering. She said, ” There are great plans in place, but the application of these plans is taking time. We need to all work together towards a realistic approach.”
Setsiba also said that the gap between the wealthy and the poor is getting bigger. On the issue of the #FeesMustFall campaign, she voiced her concerns by saying, “The drop-out rate of pupils in the less fortunate areas is very high, because of their circumstances at home.”
She continued by saying that it is extremely difficult for these pupils to perform at school when they do not have food, female personal products, or simply live in extreme poverty. She questioned the private sector and wondered why we cannot all stand together and face the reality of now.
“Not everybody comes from a wealthy background, and that includes people of all nationalities,” she said.
Setsiba explained that the community can make a difference in every child’s life right now, and by doing so, invest in our children’s education. She condemned the violence and destruction in the #FeesMustFall campaign, but acknowledged the fact that everyone is entitled to an equal and fair education.
Her message was simple: “Let us not wait for issues like these to be addressed, but let us, as a community, help the children that crave and deserve a good education, to get there.”
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