With a whirlwind of historic upsurge in youthful protests from Spain to the Middle East, there has been a great response to the severe measures imposed by increasingly undemocratic governments. South Africa has a powerful historical background of youth social activism, but is now fading and there is concern that universities may be breeding a body of apathetic students.
The 1960’s was a period rife with political and civil upheaval. It was an era filled with new and radical political events and changes. While most African countries gained independence from the respective European colonial rulers, South Africa was still under the apartheid regimes characterized by political activists like Nelson Mandela, Govan Mbeki, Walter Sisulu and Jacob Zuma.
Rhodes University was no exception to the phenomenon. Rhodes practiced racial segregation for more than a decade before it was systematically introduced into the higher education system by law. In 1965 Rhodents had a mass anti-apartheid protest. The protest was against the Grahamstown City Council’s decision banning black students from watching Rhodes University’s first rugby team. The vigorous Rhodents protested by organizing a sit-in at the library steps. Additionally, when Rhodes University gave an honorary doctorate to Afrikaans Nationalist and State President Charles Roberts Swart in 1962, it caused political actions from the mass of students who were against his racist laws.
“Those students were a minority but they were nonetheless powerful,” said Professor Paul Maylam, Head of History department and a Rhodent of the ‘60’s.
Some of the past Rhodents that were robust in the 1960’s era are now staff members at Rhodes. Professor Guy Berger, the Head of Journalism and Media Studies Department, was detained and sentenced to two years in prison in Pretoria Central for defying the apartheid laws and furthering the aims of the ANC. Professor Moondty Roodt, Sociology lecturer, was a cultural councilor on the SRC and chairperson of NUSAS and Maylam was the editor of Rhodeo (old version of Activate) in 1969 and wrote stories highlighting some of the extreme political occurrences at Rhodes University.
However, at Rhodes now, there are only two prominent student activisms currently taking place: the 1 in 9 campaigns and Meatless Monday initiative. The 1 in 9 campaign aims to show solidarity with rape survivors and to break the silence. The campaign has grown exceptionally and receives participation from both staff and students. The Meatless Monday initiative is by Rhodes Organization for Animal Rights (ROAR). This campaign is against the slaughtering of animals and encourages students to take one day off a week, a Monday, where they would not eat meat. “Animals do not have a voice and cannot speak for themselves. We raise money for spaying strays which will then reduce the number of strays, reducing spread of diseases,” said Shaggy Miller, the treasurer of ROAR.
Apart from these two campaigns, there is not much activism that the students are involved in. The students show a lot of disinterest when it comes to activism and politics. “The reason for the students apathy could be caused by the fact that there are not many political issues now like in the 1960’s where political issues were much heated,” said Maylam. “The students are now more concerned about their career prospects and having a good time,” he adds.
Benjamin Fogul of the Students for Social Justice, however, claims that it is unfair to maintain these ideas. “Campuses still exist largely in a bubble separate from South African social problems, historically it takes a direct attack or incident directed towards University Students to spur them into action”, says Fogul. He is certain however, that what is needed is the organisation and building of movements outside of the hegemonic structure of the country.
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