Johannesburg - Struggle icon Winnie Madikizela-Mandela has announced that she will be joining student protests across the country.
The veteran politician made the announcement on her Facebook page this afternoon.
In a status update, Madikizela-Mandela wrote : “I will be joining my children in Protest at Wits today. Rhodes Tommorow and NMMU on Friday. Let us see if the police will shoot with me in the front line. I dare them to,”
Just three hours after posting the message, her status had already received over seven thousand likes and had been shared over six thousand times.
The comments to the status ranged from appreciation to outright mocking.
“Aluta continua,mom Winnie,” read one comment while “#feesmustfall but bored old ladies mustnt take it as fun .. Mandela family are all well off thru Mandela foundation and Mandela Childerns fund .. Now suddenly they care .. Hell No she must join them with body gaurds .. I expect more leadership that protesting without engagements,” read another.
The mass protests are expected to continue tommorow.
Earlier on Thursday the presidency announced that President Jacob Zuma would be meeting with students and university management on Friday.
”It is important that we work together to find solutions. Nobody disagrees with the message that students from poor households are facing financial difficulties and possible exclusion. Even in the January 8 statement of the governing party this year, we stated that the escalating cost of university education had become another source of exclusion for the poor and vulnerable South African child. All parties should allow space for this matter to be discussed in a manner that will enable us to find a solution,’’ said the President.
IOL Mojo
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