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Arson of Uni's Law Library the 'Ugly Side' of Protest
James Tweedie, The Morning Star, London, 8 September 2016
South Africa's ruling ANC compared the arson of a university library by
protesting students to Nazi book-burning yesterday.
Rioting students burned the law library at University of Kwazulu Natal's
85-year-old Howard College on Tuesday. Six vehicles were torched at the
university's Westville campus on Monday.
The unrest was the latest in a series of protests demanding a freeze on
tuition-fee rises and bursaries for poor students - a policy aim of the
Higher Education Ministry.
Naledi Pandor
ANC executive education subcommittee chairwoman Naledi Pandor condemned the
destruction of university property and the intimidation and harassment of
university leaders.
"In the 1930s the German Student Union, a Nazi structure, ran a book-burning
campaign targeting books written by Jews, liberals and communists," Ms
Pandor pointed out. "It was a prelude to fascism and the Holocaust. "Our
country must expose this vandalism that seeks to hold universities to ransom
in the name of decolonisation," she added.
The ANC called on students and university staff across the country to reject
violence and let the Fees Commission complete its work.
PPF's Jimmy Manyi
Progressive Professionals Forum president - and former ANC spokesman - Jimmy
Manyi also condemned the arson.
"It's a very ugly side, it doesn't reflect students who are focused on
dropping fees but a deliberate attempt to undermine the education of
students," he said. "How do you burn down a whole law library?"
But he called on Higher Education Minister and South African Communist Party
general secretary Blade Nzimande to negotiate in person with students rather
than send departmental officials.
ANCYL, YCL
ANC Youth League general secretary Njabulo Nzuza also waded into the fray,
urging Mr Nzimande meet less with university vice-chancellors and instead
impose a zero per cent fee increment.
Young Communist League National Secretary Mluleki Dlelanga later denounced
the ANCYL's attack on Mr Nzimande as "opportunistic."
Last October's Fees Must Fall protests were marred by similar rioting and
vandalism by scions of the middle class - with the vocal support of
opposition parties.
In February students at the University of Cape Town unwittingly looted and
burned paintings by Keresemose Richard Baholo, the first black student to
receive a masters degree from the university, in a protest demanding the
removal of Cecil Rhodes's statue as an act of "decolonisation."
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From:
<http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/a-4471-Arson-of-unis-law-library-the-ugl
y-side-of-protest#.V9D-JPl9600>
http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/a-4471-Arson-of-unis-law-library-the-ugly
-side-of-protest#.V9D-JPl9600
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