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Slight Solution Tiaan Davel
I am not going to pretend I understand the “struggle” the current students are going through with the #Feesmustfall.
It must however be said that the current affair on South African Campuses is worrying to say the least. Being a student myself some 4 years ago I got a glimpse of not being able to complete my degree due to lack of funds. Lucky for me I got a bursary right at the end when I needed it.
What he current Students/Academics/Universities lack is communication, in-depth approach to try and solve the current problem? To be quite honest it is like wage negotiation. As long as everyone is around the table talking there should be no unrest.
What the government and corporate heavy weights seems to be missing is that the current youth will have the same behavior when coming into the working class. The big difference is when they start working and is not satisfied and then embark on a protest, the will be fired. That is the truth. My Solution to this problem is complex with a simple approach. We must start treating the students like employees. This means at the start of the year when they enroll to study they sign a code of conduct or even a terms and conditions to be studying there. In this code of conduct there is a Dispute resolution section.
On every Campus there should be a DRC (Dispute Resolution Council) , it is the same approach corporate companies follows in terms of their Grievance Procedure. It keeps aggrieved parties at the same table. Therefore when you are a student and you are aggrieved put in a grievance at the DRC instead of burning the Campuses down.
What is important to note is that in the code of conduct stipulates as well that if you embark on a unprotected protest you will be in breach of the code of conduct and that you will be charge with misconduct and the possibility that you will be suspended from campus is subject to a enquiry. This is just to keep the Students in check and to keep all relevant parties around the table. Now if the aggrieved party does not like the outcome of the grievance this is where Government can step in, in terms of a overseeing body like the CCMA.
Where a Commissioner can facilitate the aggrieved party, after which he can issue a certificate to embark on a protest.
Coming back to the code of conduct there would also be picketing rules stipulated. They are not allowed to be on Campus, this is just to protect the Buildings and other students that actually wants to finish with their studies. Once again if they are in breach with the code of conduct they will find themselves in front of the panel that will decide their fate.
The DRC would be either a in-house function from the law faculty and Student council and a Vice Councilor that will chair the meetings, or a independent company that Government needs to pay to ensure the parties keeps sitting around the same table. This DRC is not just for the #Feesmustfall but for any dispute namely: sexual assault, racial discrimination etc.
