KC JOURNAL NO 6 JUNE 2004 – Barometer of Student struggles: 1968 to 2004

Date

Province/City

Comments

1 February 1968

Natal, Nongoma

Students at Nongoma Vocational Training School boycott classes because they are dissatisfied with food. One first year and foursecond year students are expelled.

February 1968

Transvaal, Pietersburg

The Secretary of Bantu Education stops the meeting between Turfloop University student leaders and the SRC of the white Johannesburg College of Education.

August 1968

Cape, Cape Town

White students at the University of Cape Town are involved in a sit-in protest against the apartheid state’s refusal to appoint a black academic.

13 September 1968

Transkei.

The police arrest over 200 male students at Clarckebury Institution in Transkei. The students stone the school buildings and damage two cars at the school. The students’ anger stems from complaints about food.

3 December 1968

Tranvaal, Johannesburg

The National Students Union of South Africa (NUSAS) announces its protest action and demonstrations. The action is to start at the beginning of 1969 and aims to stopping the state led harassment of NUSAS and its leaders.

1968

Countrywide

Students in black universities engage in struggles for genuine SRCs. Fort Hare students refuse to attend J.M.de Wet’s installation ceremony.

December 1968

Transvaal, Pietersburg

The South African Student Organisation (SASO) is formed and is officially launched on 1 July 1969 at Turfloop.

1969

Countrywide

Students at the English-medium universities and colleges hold placard demonstrations, public meetings and other forms of mass demonstrations. Students were protesting against the tenth anniversary of the “extension of university education act”, in terms of which the previous open university were closed to non-whites unless with special Ministerial approval. Students link their protest with the “France 1968” students uprisings.

15 April 1969

Natal, KwaDlangezwa

The Deputy Minister of Bantu Education announces that twelve students of the College of Zululand were not admitted at the college because of “ill-discipline.”

5- 14 August 1968

Cape, Alice

Students at Fort Hare University are involved in mass action in support of their right to elect an SRC. The response of the state and the administration includes suspension of student leaders, arrests and expulsions.

May 1970

Cape, Bellville

Students hold a “sit-in” in the administration building of the University of Western Cape demanding, among other things, a genuine SRC.

12 May 1971

Natal, Durban

SASO members start leadership programmes, community projects and literacy classes among black communities. SASO members at the Natal Medical School launch a free preventative health clinic.

25 September 1974

Transvaal, Pietersburg

The “pro-Frelimo” rally is held at Turfloop university despite the administration’s refusal to grant permission for the rally. After several encounters between the police and students, the university is closed. Subsequently SASO leaders are detained.

1974

Countrywide

NUSAS launches a “Release all Political Prisoners” campaign.

September 1974

Transvaal, Pretoria

NUSAS is declared by the state as an “affected organisation” which means that it can not raise funds abroad.

July 1974

Natal, Pietermaritzburg

In its 51st Annual Congress, NUSAS decides to change its strategy from “active protest” to a “more pragmatic” approach emphasizing among other things wage investigations.

February 1974

Botswana

A parcel bomb kills Abram Tiro.

22 January 1974

Transvaal, Hammanskraal

SASO holds a five-day meeting which condemns the presence of the apartheid forces in Namibia, reaffirms the non-collaboration stance of the black consciousness movement and condemns the bantustan leaders.

1974

Transkei and Natal

Students in the following schools are involved in protest action:- Saint Francis College in Marianhill, Natal, Moroka High School in Thaba’ Nchu and various schools in Transkei. In most cases, the police are called to crush the protests.

1975

A number of NUSAS national executive committee members and SASO leaders are arrested.

14 March 1975

Cape, Cape Town

In Parliament the Deputy Minister of Bantu Education reports that 103 former students of Turfloop were not readmitted. SASO argues that most of the students are its members.

February 1975

Transvaal, Pietersburg

The Turfloop university administrations bans SASO from its campus.

July 1975

Transvaal, Pietersburg

SASO holds its annual conference under very difficult conditions. It is reported that there is only one member of the executive committee at the meeting. The rest of the executive members are either banned or arrested.

16 June 1976

Countrywide

Students stage protest against the enforced use of Afrikaans as a medium of instruction. Nationwide uprisings follow as students from all over the country join the protests.

February 1977

Natal, KwaDlangeza

Following the “June 16” uprising at the University of Natal, the university does not readmit students that are suspected of being involved in the uprisings.

20-27 March 1977

Countrywide

The Black People’s Convention calls up black people to mourn the death of black people who died during the Sharpville massacre and during the “June 16” uprising. The mourning starts on 20 March and ends on 27 March 1977 and is called the “Heroes Week”.

11 June 1977

Transvaal, Pietersburg

Turfloop students boycott classes in support of their demand to elect an SRC. The SRC had been dissolved since the “pro-Frelimo” rally in 1974. Students return to classes on 20 June 1977. They start another round of class boycotts on 25 August 1977, which culminates in the closure of the university.

1979

The Azanian Students’ Organisation (AZASO) is formed and organises students in the tertiary education sector.

1980

Transvaal, Pretoria

The Cillie Commission which investigates the causes of the “June 16” releases its report.

1980

Natal, KwaMashu

Students in KwaMashu defy Gatsha Buthelezi’s “back to school” call. The students’ uprisings in the Bantustan show that students reject the system.

February 1980

Cape, Gugulethu

Students at Fezeka High School present the principal with a list of demands that relate to school governance, lack of student representation, school fees and uniform. Students boycott until the meeting of students, teachers and parents on 21 February 1980.

20 March 1980

Cape, Hanover Park, Mountview and Crystal

Students in Hanover Park, Mountview and Crystal hold a mass meeting where students discuss the physical conditions of the schools and other related issues. Three white teachers who attend the meeting are dismissed. Subsequent to that students boycott classes and demand an unconditional reinstatement of the teachers.

Early March 1980

Transvaal, Soweto

COSAS in Soweto calls for a boycott of Soweto Schools to protest against the uniform requirement and school fees.

19 April 1980

Cape, Cape Town

A “committee of 81” (81 representative from various secondary schools) calls for a countrywide boycott of schools. The boycott spreads from Cape Town to other parts of the country. Black Universities and students in the bantustans are also involved in the boycotts. The state responds by using violence against students and detaining a number of students.

March 1981

Countrywide

Two student organisations invite the minister of cooperation and development, Piet Koornof to address a lunchtime meeting at the Wits’ Great Hall. The meeting is attended by over 1 200 students but is disrupted by about 300 black students.

29 April 1981

Countrywide

While whites are holding “elections” for the whites-only parliament, black students protest against white-only general elections. Black students call for a universal franchise.

16 June 1981

Cape, Western Cape

Over 60 students arrested in the Western Cape for commemorating 16 June 1976.

January 1982

Natal, Durban

Students in the Umlazi area boycott schools because the department of education wants them to rewrite the examination. The department cites examination paper leaks as a reason for demanding reexamination. The police are called in but the boycott continues for some days.

1 May 1982

Cape, Alice

Students at Fort Hare throw stones at the Ciskei government officials who visit the campus. On May 3, the entire student body boycotts classes in support of 22 students who were arrested on 1 May.

April 1982

Transvaal, Pietersburg

Turfloop students threaten to boycott because the university has expelled nine pregnant students.

June 1982

Transvaal, Pietersburg

Turfloop holds a “Tiro” Day to commemorate the late Abram Tiro. Subsequent to the commemorative event, it is reported that students burn the university bookshop.

1986

Countrywide

Eastern Cape and Johannesburg schools are mostly affected by schools boycotts. As a result of the countrywide boycotts, 54 schools are suspended for short periods and a further 33 are closed until 31 December. Among other things, students demand the lifting of the state of emergency and the removal of the South African Defence Force in the townships.

7 March 1986

The state of emergency is lifted but is again imposed on 12 June 1986.

March, 1986

Countrywide

The National Education Crisis Committee (NECC) is formed with the objective of coordinating education struggles.

6 October 1986

Cape, Bellville

The National Students’ Coordinating Committee, which embraced students’ congresses in the Eastern and Western Cape, Natal and Transvaal, launches a campaign against detention of students, parents and teachers and the closure of schools.

December 1986

Cape, Bellville

AZASO changes its name to the South African National Students; Congress (SANSCO).

1987

Nationwide

147 schools were affected by school boycotts.

January 1987

Countrywide

The united Democratic Front, NECC, Azanian People’s Organisation (AZAPO), AZASM and SANSCO launch a “return to school” campaign.

1987

Nationwide

Various tertiary education institutions also affected by boycott of classes.

May 1987

Cape, Bellville

The Western Cape University SRC refuses to register AZASM as part of its clubs and societies citing that AZASM did not adhere to principles of “non-racialism”.

24 April 1987

Bophuthatswana, Mabatho

The University of Bophuthatswana closes for 3 months because of student protests against the administration and the bantustan leaders.

24 April 1987

Cape, Cape Town

Students disrupt lectures and set fire to a vehicle following a lunchtime meeting as part of a protest against the death and firing of members of the South African Railways and Harbours’ Union (SARHWU).

6 May 1987

Natal, Durban

Students at the University of Natal boycott classes to protest against whites-only elections.

1987

Transvaal, Pietersburg

The South African Defence Force and the police are brought into Turfloop to crush students’ resistance.

21 April 1987

Cape, Bellville

Dentistry students boycott classes for three weeks and are supported by other students.

1988

Cape, Cape Town

Government announced that 917 schools (as opposed to 147 in 1987) were affected by boycotts.

February 1988

Cape, Cape Town

The South African Students’ Congress (SASCO) is formed as a student organisation that organises in tertiary education institutions. Just like COSAS, it also endorses the Freedom Charter. At the same time, the South African Youth Congress (SAYCO)which was closely associated with SASCO is banned.

April 1989

Natal, Durban

A report which details conflict between AZASM and SANSCO is released,

14 February 2002

Gauteng, Katlehong

The school principal’s car is set alight subsequent to the principal’s assault of a student.

2 May 2002

Eastern Cape

Over 60 000 students boycott classes in protest against the shortage of books and bad learning conditions.

28 May 2002

Gauteng, Johannesburg

About 10 000 COSAS supporters march in Johannesburg demanding free and compulsory education.

6 April 2002

Gauteng, East Rand and

Mpumalanga, Balfour

PASO leads a school boycott against school fees. Over 23 000 students take part in the action which lasts for six weeks. The state and the police respond by banning political activities at schools and arresting the leaders of the boycott.

6 April 2002

Gauteng

COSAS warns that it would not tolerate boycotts and disruption of schools in the East Rand and Balfour.

2 June 2002

Limpopo, Polokwane

Students at the University of the North boycott demanding more money to be spent on a party.

26 June 2002

North West, Vryburg

The Pomfrel High School students demand the replacement of white teachers by black teachers.

18 July 2002

Gauteng, Thembelihle

Thembelihle residents and students start a school boycott in protest against evictions.

14 August 2002

Gauteng, Katlehong

Teachers end a week-long strike caused by the fact that one of the teachers had not been appointed in a permanent position.

29 September 2002

North West, Vryburg

Former Vryburg High School student, Andrew Babeile, wants to resume his studies after spending 18 months in jail for stabbing a white student.

14 August 2003

Gauteng, Johannesburg

Wits Technikon students protest against the regulation which prohibits male students from visiting female residences at night. Over 300 students are arrested.

26 April 2004

Gauteng, Johannesburg

Wits University students disrupt classes in protest against the administration’s announcement of a 50% cut in financial aid. The students demand an increase of financial aid to students.

April 2004

North West, Mmbatho

Students at the university of the North West boycott classes

demanding an end to financial exclusions.