The YCLSA supports SASCO's free-education march

The Young Communist league of South Africa (uFasimba) supports the march by SASCO for free education. Institutions of higher learning continue to concoct innovative ways to marginalise the black majority. The YCLSA has been consistent in the call for free education for all young people in our country.

Education needs to be de-commodified as a sense of urgency, as it touches on various sectors of our economy. Skills development is one of the key areas that need to be addressed as education plays a pivotal role in dealing with skills shortage in our economy. Universities, particularly historically white institutions have continued to undermine governments call to allow black people entry into institutions. Minimum requirements to gain access into universities have not been consistent throughout the country and that needs to be reviewed by the Department of Higher education. We also call for the Department of Higher education to simultaneously review the autonomy of Institutions of Higher learning. Universities tend to behave like they are "mini states" in isolation of laws that govern the country, yet they are funded by government. 

Universities such as the University of Johannesburg which merged, continue to ridicule black students by using campuses that were previously known as black institutions as dumping sites for them. We condemn this backward mentality which is clearly institutionalised and reflective of the racist mentality that is still rife in management of universities.

We support the March and we will continue to fight for Free education in our lifetime

Issued by Gugu Ndima, Young Communist League national spokesperson, March 4 2010

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