Latest news with #FeesMustFall
IOL News
2 days ago
- Politics
- IOL News
Education Revolution: Namibian President declares free university tuition
The #FeesMustFall movement in South Africa, a student-led campaign that drew global acclaim, was a powerful call for decolonised and affordable education. l HENK KRUGER/FILE Image: Henk Kruger/Independent Newspapers 'WE have heard your cries, the fees have fallen,' announced Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah. A mere month into her presidency, the first female president of the sub-Saharan nation made waves this week after announcing that university fees would be scrapped from 2026. 'I am pleased to announce that from the next academic year, commencing 2026, tertiary education will become 100% subsidised by the government,' the president said during her first State of the Nation Address in Parliament. She emphasised that 'no registration (or) tuition fees' would be required from any student at a public university or technical college. This is a particularly significant achievement by Nandi-Ndaitwah, considering the #FeesMustFall movement across neighbouring South Africa, a student-led campaign that drew global acclaim as a powerful call for decolonised and affordable education. In South Africa, #FeesMustFall not only emerged as a call to halt increases in student fees, but it also spotlighted systemic inequalities in education, largely deriving from our tyrannical history of apartheid. The systemic injustices within our education systems are not only a critical component of the apartheid legacy in our post-democratic society; they also reflect the failures of the South African government in promoting a critical human right: the right to education. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ In Namibia, the #FeesMustFall movement was a reflection of the South African-led one, with a specific call for a complete shift to free, government-funded tertiary education. Similarly to South Africa, it also called for the further need to address equitable access to education, and recognise that access to quality education is not equal for all Namibians. It is, therefore, groundbreakingly admirable that Nandi-Ndaitwah has taken this significant stride in ensuring equally accessible education across all of Namibia. Continentally, Namibia will be joining Algeria, Botswana, Egypt, Libya, Mauritius, Morocco, South Africa, and Tunisia in the provision of free tuition at public universities. Now, Namibia joins Kenya in their educational commitment: offering free primary and secondary education to its citizens. However, Namibia now stands as the ultimate benchmark, offering free education from the primary schooling level, all the way to tertiary education. This is, indeed, what the youth call 'a big flex' (meaning an impressive feat). President Nandi-Ndaitwah has certainly set the bar high. Her actions reflect a leadership that is not only listening, but also readily taking action. And all African nations desperately need to follow suit. One of the US Founding Fathers, Benjamin Franklin, once cleverly said: 'An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.' This is certainly an outlook that is being upheld in Nandi-Ndaitwah's administration. What needs to be clear is that there is nothing that exempts Namibia from any of the challenges that are faced across African nations. Like many of its neighbours, it also contends with issues of economic access, especially for impoverished communities, shortages in qualified teachers, high dropout and reposition rates, and more. What the Namibian government has done is to meaningfully commit to addressing these challenges by putting their money where their mouth is. They have solidly implemented the subsidisation of fees, and they continue to rework their inclusivity policies, particularly where marginalised groups and foundational education are concerned. 'It is what we make of what we have, not what we are given, that separates one person from the other'. This profound statement by South Africa's first democratic President, Nelson Mandela, is an exact echo of the performance of Nandi-Ndaitwah. While the youth across the continent hunger for knowledge and innovation, too many of our governments continue to treat education as a secondary concern, throwing words around instead of resources, when we're in a crisis that demands action. We cannot build an independent, thriving Africa on broken chalkboards, underpaid teachers, and overcrowded classrooms. Educating the youth and every member within our society will be critical to the empowerment of our people. As a society, it is pertinent that we demand more than just slogans from those in leadership. We need leaders who prioritise our children's future over comfort and convenience. We need governments that understand that education is not charity, but a right; not a burden, but a backbone of true liberation. The calm before the storm is over. It's time for our leaders to invest, reform, and truly educate, or step aside for those who will. What's truly evident, now more than ever, is that, have examples of prolific leadership emerging across Africa. Leaders like Nandi-Ndaitwah in Namibia and President Ibrahim Traore in Burkina Faso ensure that the pessimistic, harmful narratives and prejudices around African leadership are crumbling to pieces. These are leaders who are stepping up to the plate and truly demonstrating commitment. They are aligning their actions with their words and putting the needs of the people at the forefront. The potential for Africa's proliferation is endless when guided by ethical, committed leadership, and we are seeing living examples of this, a little bit at a time. For generations, colonial and neoliberal systems have restricted access to education, gatekeeping opportunities behind tuition walls that excluded the poor, the rural, the working class, and so many more. This profound move by Nandi-Ndaitwah has essentially torn down those walls. African youth have consistently challenged systems that treat knowledge like a commodity instead of a birthright. To drive forward reform in education and succeed is a commendable achievement that cannot be understated. This is truly exemplary of 'the power of the people'. These types of new policies are those that bring about meaningful transformation, especially for children, women, those with disabilities, youth in remote areas, the historically excluded, and so many more. We cannot let uncertainty be an excuse for inaction. We must remember that no liberation movement in our history began with perfect conditions. Freedoms are built upon the audacity to act. Nandi-Ndaitwah has planted a golden seed. Let the rest of the continent take note. Africa's renaissance will not be imported; it will be built by educated, empowered, audacious Africans. Free education is not just about entrance to classrooms; it is about human rights and justice at its core. It is about healing our society from a pervasive imperialist system that still has its roots tightly wound around SA's institutional neck. Education is about reclaiming our collective right to dream of an empowered self and to shape the Africa we want to see. 'No country can really develop unless its citizens are educated,' Mandela once profoundly said. 'Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.' * Tswelopele Makoe is a gender and social justice activist and editor at Global South Media Network. She is a researcher, columnist, and an Andrew W Mellon scholar at the Desmond Tutu Centre for Religion and Social Justice, UWC. The views expressed are her own. ** The views expressed here do not reflect those of the Sunday Independent, IOL, or Independent Media. Get the real story on the go: Follow the Sunday Independent on WhatsApp.
IOL News
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- IOL News
How Paulette Neo is making her mark on the airwaves
Paulette Neo Kaise took over from legendary traffic reporter Rob Byrne, popularly known as Rob Beezy, who left Metro FM after 13 years. Image: Supplied SABC newsreader Paulette Neo, in April, joined Metro FM's 'The Best Morning Breakfast Show' and 'The Touchdown' as the resident traffic reporter. Neo took over from legendary traffic reporter, Rob Byrne, popularly known as Rob Beezy, who left Metro FM after 13 years. Filling the shoes of a legendary traffic reporter may be daunting, but Neo is stepping into these big shoes in her own way. 'I hope to satisfy the audience. I love the feedback from the Besties [Metro FM listeners]. It's truly a pleasure to be part of this team,' she said. Speaking candidly during Youth Month, in an interview with IOL, Neo shared how her passion for journalism began during the #FeesMustFall protests. 'I saw how events were reported differently depending on where people consumed their information, the messaging, even the propaganda. That's what made me want to go into news and reporting,' she said. Her classroom lessons came to life on the streets, giving her firsthand insight into the power of the media. 'You realise whoever pays the piper controls the shooting,' she added thoughtfully. Neo didn't have formal mentors, but community radio stations and campus media gave her the training ground she needed. 'Campus radio helped me so much. And just watching others in the industry, seeing how presenters could report traffic, engage in sports, and offer opinions, made me realise you have to be agile and multi-faceted,' she said. She made it a point to shadow professionals and reach out for opportunities. 'I was always that person saying, 'Hi, can I learn from you? Here's my demo.' I must've been so annoying,' she laughed. Neo's journey to Metro FM began not as a reporter, but as a fitness guest. 'I was invited to MoFlava's show for Gym Jam at around 4am, to talk about health and demonstrate exercises. I ended up staying until noon because I just loved the vibe at Metro. "I thought, 'I want to stay… I just don't know how yet,' ' she recalled. That spark led her to reignite a dream she had shelved after graduating. 'I had studied, but I wasn't working in the field yet. Meeting bold women in the studio reminded me of who I wanted to be.' Just when Neo thought things had settled, and she was on SABC's Setswana news, another door opened. 'I got a call asking if I was still interested in doing traffic reporting. I had done it at community level. I said, 'Absolutely!'' When it comes to growing her brand, Neo credits social media with opening new doors. 'It makes people accessible, not necessarily to chat, but to learn from them. You see someone's journey and it inspires you to refine your skills,' she explained. As a Youth Month message, Kaise encourages young people to be grounded and hungry to learn. 'Be adaptable. You're not above learning and stay focused on what resonates with you. It's not about doing the trendiest thing, but about finding what brings you long-term joy and purpose.' She cautioned against chasing hype. 'Think about longevity. Ask yourself: where is this taking me? What do I really want? Don't just trend for the sake of it.' IOL Entertainment
IOL News
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- IOL News
How Paulette Neo is making her mark on the airwaves
Paulette Neo Kaise took over from legendary traffic reporter Rob Byrne, popularly known as Rob Beezy, who left Metro FM after 13 years. Image: Supplied SABC newsreader Paulette Neo, in April, joined Metro FM's 'The Best Morning Breakfast Show' and 'The Touchdown' as the resident traffic reporter. Neo took over from legendary traffic reporter, Rob Byrne, popularly known as Rob Beezy, who left Metro FM after 13 years. Filling the shoes of a legendary traffic reporter may be daunting, but Neo is stepping into these big shoes in her own way. 'I hope to satisfy the audience. I love the feedback from the Besties [Metro FM listeners]. It's truly a pleasure to be part of this team,' she said. Speaking candidly during Youth Month, in an interview with IOL, Neo shared how her passion for journalism began during the #FeesMustFall protests. 'I saw how events were reported differently depending on where people consumed their information, the messaging, even the propaganda. That's what made me want to go into news and reporting,' she said. Her classroom lessons came to life on the streets, giving her firsthand insight into the power of the media. 'You realise whoever pays the piper controls the shooting,' she added thoughtfully. Neo didn't have formal mentors, but community radio stations and campus media gave her the training ground she needed. 'Campus radio helped me so much. And just watching others in the industry, seeing how presenters could report traffic, engage in sports, and offer opinions, made me realise you have to be agile and multi-faceted,' she said. She made it a point to shadow professionals and reach out for opportunities. 'I was always that person saying, 'Hi, can I learn from you? Here's my demo.' I must've been so annoying,' she laughed. Neo's journey to Metro FM began not as a reporter, but as a fitness guest. 'I was invited to MoFlava's show for Gym Jam at around 4am, to talk about health and demonstrate exercises. I ended up staying until noon because I just loved the vibe at Metro. "I thought, 'I want to stay… I just don't know how yet,' ' she recalled. That spark led her to reignite a dream she had shelved after graduating. 'I had studied, but I wasn't working in the field yet. Meeting bold women in the studio reminded me of who I wanted to be.' Just when Neo thought things had settled, and she was on SABC's Setswana news, another door opened. 'I got a call asking if I was still interested in doing traffic reporting. I had done it at community level. I said, 'Absolutely!'' When it comes to growing her brand, Neo credits social media with opening new doors. 'It makes people accessible, not necessarily to chat, but to learn from them. You see someone's journey and it inspires you to refine your skills,' she explained. As a Youth Month message, Kaise encourages young people to be grounded and hungry to learn. 'Be adaptable. You're not above learning and stay focused on what resonates with you. It's not about doing the trendiest thing, but about finding what brings you long-term joy and purpose.' She cautioned against chasing hype. 'Think about longevity. Ask yourself: where is this taking me? What do I really want? Don't just trend for the sake of it.' IOL Entertainment
The Citizen
17-06-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
Hector Pieterson's sister calls on today's youth to find a cause
What has changed in education since 1976? Hector Pieterson's sister Antoinette Sithole arrives at the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg, 16 June 2025, to give a lecture on her brotherwho was shot dead by the apartheid police on 16 June 1976. Picture: Nigel Sibanda/ The Citizen Antoinette Sithole, sister of June 1976 uprising shooting victim, schoolboy Hector Pieterson, says her generation is sad to see the behaviour of today's youth. They take weapons to school, attack their teachers and fellow pupils, and abuse drugs on the school premises, she noted. 'To me, the meaning of Youth Day is how to tackle your own problems. As youth, you should be out there writing placards to say 'we are tired of gender-based violence'. As parents, we will support you. 'Make a bold statement. You will be supported by billions out there in the world,' she said. Sithole said she had long ago decided to forgive the killers of her brother, Hector. 'I am on the side of those who say it's best that I don't know the person who killed my brother, because I want everything in my life to be positive,' Sithole said. Sithole was addressing an audience that included youths from different cultural backgrounds and political activists to commemorate the 49th anniversary of the police killings of pupils protesting against Afrikaans being used as a medium of instruction in black schools. She will be 66 on 28 June. What are today's youth fighting for? Another panel speaker at the event, Dr Tshepo Moloi, head of the department of history at the University of Johannesburg, related the plan to organise the 1976 uprising under the auspices of the South African Students Movement linked to the Black Consciousness Movement. Moloi made a comparison between the youth of 1976 and today's youth, saying the former were activists while questions linger about the influence today's youth have on change. However, a guest, Esinako Ndabeni, noted that the #FeesMustFall student activists played a significant role in bringing about change in the education system. Remembering Hector Sithole remembers her younger brother, Hector, as a shy but naughty little boy who once got her into trouble with train security guards. Sithole went on the train with her brother frequently, but he would ask her not to buy their weekly train tickets to school and instead to keep the money. They managed to get free rides a few times, but on the third day, she was caught by the security guards while trying to escape. Hector had already escaped and was waiting for his sister, laughing and dancing. The guards accused her of teaching her brother not to pay for tickets. Although she managed to convince the security guards to let her go, she gave her little brother a tongue lashing and vowed never to try to wangle a free train ride again. Hector, who was close to their mother, loved kung fu movies, and his hero was Bruce Lee, whose films he would watch repeatedly every weekend. 'Hector was very humble and not talkative. I know that comrades see Hector as a struggle hero, but I don't share that view. 'To me he was just my brother. He shouldn't have been there in the first place. 'He was in the wrong place at the wrong time when he was shot by the police,' Sithole said. Still taught in Afrikaans She said the 1976 generation opposed Afrikaans because it was the language of the oppressor. 'We hated Afrikaans because the owner of that language was our oppressor. We felt we were oppressed by the Afrikaners. Now we have to be instructed in their language. No way,' she said. On the 49th anniversary of the 1976 uprising in which scores of pupils were killed by police and hundreds injured, Sithole said it was shocking that pupils today still have to pass Afrikaans to proceed to the next grade. She believed the language should have been taken out of the syllabus by the democratic government and replaced with a language from other African countries. 'We thought our education would be the best after all that happened. 'But I am not a politician, it's not for me to tell them what to do,' she said. Sithole, who was 16 and doing form 3 (now grade 10) at Phefeni Senior Secondary in Orlando when the 1976 student uprisings occurred, related how she found her 13-year-old brother on the other side of the pavement while police were shooting. He came to her side, but when the police fired more shots, the boy disappeared in the crowd and they were separated. Later she saw student Mbuyisa Makhubo, then 18, carrying her limp brother's body running past her. She followed him and asked who he was and where he was taking her brother, but Makhubo kept running and put Hector in a journalist's car. They took him to the clinic, but he was already dead.
TimesLIVE
16-06-2025
- Politics
- TimesLIVE
From 1976 to 2025: is protest culture still relevant to youth?
Like the youth of 1976, today's young people are passionate about creating a better world through protest, but their voices are often ignored. With many set to look back at the events of June 1976, a question many ponder is whether protest culture is still relevant to today's youth. Mcebo Dlamini, former Witwatersrand SRC and #Feesmustfall activist, still believes that protest culture for young people is as necessary now as it was during the Soweto Uprising because he believes that protest culture in its truest sense is a disruption of the norm. If the norm does not favour young people, that norm must be disrupted. Dlamini emphasised the fact that young people must unite and devise strategies on how to make their protests sustainable and impactful. 'Young people must penetrate all spaces where there is an opportunity to change their conditions for the better, the youth must saturate such a space, at least where there is total freedom and white supremacy, along with capitalism, does not reign.' Sihle Seleke, who is a prominent anti gender-based violence activist and founder of the Kwanele Foundation, believes protesting is not 100% relevant. While it raises public awareness, Seleke argues that leaders often fail to take meaningful action and young people can protest as much as they want, but implementation on the ground is still lacking. Seleke said young people must protest through voting and with the local elections coming up, young people need to vote for the change they want to see. 'This thing of voting because our grandmother liked whatever party and it's trendy no longer serves a purpose. The only way we can protest in the right way is to vote, let your vote be your change, let your vote be your voice because femicide is on the rise on a daily basis,' she said Dlamini said that as long as the hierarchies that existed during apartheid have not been altered, there is always going to be a need to protest and believes it puts local politics in a loop. He said the questions that 'our forefathers were dealing with' were still the same problems that 'we are dealing with in the present.' 'It is almost as if we are trapped in an endless cycle of suffering and the wheel just keeps on turning,' he said. 'A proper diagnosis of this is that we are not dealing with the problems of the youth from a structural level but we are too focused on the symptoms instead of dealing with the root cause. which in this case includes an education that denies black people access to tertiary institutions on the basis that they do not have money. Fees Must Fall was an opportune moment, which did give us certain gains but failure to stretch to society as a whole was the limitation.' 'Our president has signed many beautiful laws and bills into power but we're still to see implementation. Anti-GBV activist Sihle Seleke Dlamini said young people must unite and devise strategies on how to make their protests sustainable and impactful. 'Young people must penetrate all spaces where there is an opportunity to change their conditions for the better; the youth must saturate such a space.' Angela Molepo, a 20-year-old gender-based violence activist who was the first young person to start a national shutdown over the Cwecwe case through an organisation called Justice SA, said if young people limit their activism to hashtags, they are not going to go anywhere. For Molepo, protest doesn't hold the same relevance nor does it help with anything, due to the government studying the new generation. 'People protest on social media, hoping it will be public knowledge to our government, which is never the case. When the government sees a group of youth fighting over something, they try to shut us down. We still have our voice, but we are waiting for people of power to remind us of that because we are conditioned into thinking we don't know ourselves and our belonging,' said Molepo. 'Young people are fighting for job opportunities because those in power, who benefited from apartheid, are holding onto positions and leaving no space for the youth.' This is a painful reminder to Seleke who continues to highlight a concerns of South African youth. Due to a lack of employment, Seleke says it's not fair that young people still protest over such socioeconomic issues. 'Our president has signed many beautiful laws and bills into power but we're still to see implementation. Our president claims that [alleged perpetrators of] gender-based violence and femicide should not be given bail freely, but we're still seeing them getting bail. Our government is playing with our minds. For example they brought into law the POPI Act, which states you cannot disclose someone's personal details without their permission or else you will be prosecuted. It's a crime but guess what? We are amplifying our voices saying the sexual offenders' list must be made public so we will know who's on that list but the POPI Act is stopping us from making the sexual offenders' list public because we cannot expose their identity so who's fooling who,' said Seleke. Collen Malatji of the ANC Youth League, who grew up in crime-ridden Thembisa, believes that this Youth Month should be a call to action. He urges young people to unite and fight against the systemic issues that affect them, advocating for liberation for all. Malatji emphasises the relevance of protesting, noting that its purpose has evolved from fighting against the apartheid system to raising awareness about the prevailing agendas and cultures that perpetuate inequality. He stresses that protesting should be a regular form of expression, whether in good or bad times. With the advent of new platforms, Malatji acknowledges that young people now have more avenues to make their voices heard. However, he notes that those in power often forget the struggles of the youth, making it necessary for young people to remind them through protest. Malatji emphasises that addressing gender-based violence requires more male role models in communities, teaching boys how to respect and treat women. He notes that this issue transcends economic status, as even wealthy men abuse women. Malatji's vision is for South Africa's youth to take ownership of the country's economic activities, becoming responsible leaders who drive positive change. He urges young people to be proactive, responding to economic demands and speaking out against injustices, rather than passively observing wrongdoing. Young people can protest as much as they want, but implementation on the ground is still lacking.
