JONATHAN JANSEN: Charged fees must fall students must atone so we can move on
'Society is being asked to view these violent actions as noble, the work of freedom fighters akin to the great Nelson Mandela'
EXTRACT
Whatever the problems of our government – and there are many – this is not a lawless state that sanctions violence to achieve one’s goals or that threatens human lives in the pursuit of one’s cause.
While the broad student movement and its quest for access and inclusion were indeed noble, in my view, there were criminal acts performed by individuals that must be held to account or SA descends into a completely lawless society.
Some would argue that given the newly released crime statistics (57 people on average are murdered every day in our country) that we are well on our way to such a perilous state where the increase in robbery, murder, home invasions and sexual assault erode our confidence in the government.
I agree with the party of Julius Malema that the students expelled from university or awaiting criminal charges in the courts should be allowed to return to studies. These are students criminally charged for their actions during the Fees Must Fall protests of 2015-16. Unlike Malema’s colleagues, however, I do not believe that the return to studies must be unconditional. To begin with, the courts should hear and decide on each of the criminal cases independent of political interference. When politicians in parliament believe they can demand that charges that belong with the judiciary be overturned, then we are flirting with danger when it comes to democracy, the independence of our institutions, and the rule of law. Individual universities have indeed allowed some students awaiting an appearance or decisions from the courts to continue studies – that is within the jurisdiction of institutions. But they are not usurping the authority of the criminal justice system which must still rul...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.