THE STRUGGLES OF STUDENTS IN HIGHER EDUCATION DESERVES FULL SUPPORT OF ALL THE EXPLOITED AND OPPRESSED MASSES OF OUR COUNTRY

The University student movement in South African has shaken the South African ANC led - government and they are united in their demand for free and quality education in the South African universities. The academic study is in stand-still and the government has sent police to shoot the students by rubber bullets and teargas. The students are retaliating with stone throwing and some are arrested. That led to the shutdown of some of the universities and some Universities are evicting students are at their hostels.

The ANC secretary general addressed the press-conference that ANC was never told the people about the free education, he said, accesssible education is on merit, only those students who get better results will be able to get access to Universities through bursaries.

The students are adamant in their demand for free and quality education and they get solidarity from the progressive organizations and some personalities.

The CPSA(M-L) 'S ADDRESS TO THE STUDENTS.

THE STRUGGLES OF STUDENTS IN HIGHER EDUCATION DESERVES FULL SUPPORT OF ALL THE EXPLOITED AND OPPRESSED MASSES OF OUR COUNTRY.

The Communist Party of South Africa (Marxist-Leninist) and its youth wing, Communist Youth League fully support the struggle of the students for free and quality education.

The working class and the poor peasants are the motive forces for the revolutionary change in South Africa today. This is the reason why all reactionaries from the sell-out reactionary nationalists to revisionists of all sorts are claiming these classes whilst in reality all what they seek to do is to trick these classes into accepting them as their leaders and set up their struggles for failure.

It is necessary that we say the above statement as everyone today is keen to find an answer and solution to the crisis of education that is engulfing the country. We need to know from which quarter or class can we look at to find a lasting solution and not a quick fix which will soon crumble and take us back to square one.

In the first instance, the neo-colonial neo-apartheid government is not only unfit to find a solution to this crisis but is also unwilling to do so. Since it continues pursuing the neo-liberal policies of imperialism for super-profits. This crisis is its own creation. It is fully aware that when it sold out the revolution at the World trade Centre negotiations and reached the settlement with the National Party which was the ruling party of the racist minority regime, they agreed not to change the fundamental policies of racism and neo-colonialism including education itself.

Since then education for the poor masses and the working class and poor peasants in particular remained inferior. All the so-called transformation that followed were done on the foundations of the apartheid education and not on new foundations that would help to advance the students and the interests of the poor masses.

Now being faced with this crisis in education, it is proper to say we cannot put our trust to the system of government which is based on neo-apartheid and neo-colonialism that it will solve this crisis. This system is rotten, hence the sleep walkers of the ruling party, the ANC think that to “close down” the institutions of learning for 6 months or a year will teach the students a lesson.

.We say, no to Mr Mantashe! Students are demanding free quality education, not education based on merit.

Again these gentlemen want the whole society to believe that they are attending to the grievance of the students by appointing a Commission. This is also a waste of time, this does not address the real problem. Also to talk about no fee increase is waste of air because that does not come near to addressing the key demand. Free education is the key demand which we fully support.

If we want to solve the problem we must first know that we need a new democratic system that will be completely different from the present neo-colonial system. A new democratic system that will be based on the will of the people and not on the neo-colonial will based on satisfying the needs monopoly capital and its stooges,the neo-colonialist and neo-apartheid government is doing. Under such a system education becomes an equal right to all students. Under such a system education can be funded by the state. Under such a system all education, both elementary and tertiary education is placed entirely under the control of the state. There are no divisions such as that of public and private and even racial divisions have no place in this system.

The CPSA(M-L) calls upon all students, youth, women, working class, peasants and other oppressed strata to unite and fight for this new system.

We call on the students and youth to join forces with the Communist Youth League (CYL) and take its membership and fight for New Democracy.

We call on peasants to form peasant committees or join them where they already exist and also join the Communist Party of South Africa (M-L).

We call on the working class, especially the rank and file, to join the Communist Party of South Africa (M-L).

These are the main components that can fight for a new democracy and effect change on education, health, housing, employment, water, environment, etc.

Let us all unite to fight for our future!!