Cape Town - A single mother’s dream of getting her children educated at the University of Cape Town – the institution where she works – will never come true as the fees are “ridiculously” high.
Kholeka Takani, 45, of Khayelitsha, has been working as the cleaner at the university for 15 years.
“I’ve been working for UCT for 15 years, I love my job and I get to provide for my two children. I have always dreamt of my children studying here because I believe the university offers a good education. But it will remain a dream because the fees at this place are ridiculous.”
She said she hasn’t looked for another job because she believed that her salary would increase one day.
“I earn about R5 000 a month, it is not enough and it will never be enough for my children to study here. I don’t want my two daughters to grow up and become cleaners like myself and be paid peanuts.”
She said even after 15 years of working she still lives in a three-roomed shack.
“I have to feed, clothe and put them through school. We are tired of being exploited, which is why we joined the students in the protest.
“We want to support their outcry against the increase in fees and also fight for our rights.”
Read: Students vow to shut down all varsities
This week universities across South Africa were rocked by student protests against proposed fee hikes of between 10.2 percent and 15 percent for next year.
UCT students and workers also recently protested against the “outsourcing of services” at the the university.
Takani said both issues affected her directly.
“We marched all the way to Observatory and back to show how serious we are.
“We won’t stop until our demands are met.”
Second-year civil engineering student Kamvelihle Tabata, 20, from the Eastern Cape, said the fee increase “stood in the way” of a lot of students and those that would like to study at UCT.
“I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the financial assistance I receive from the government. My expenses are about R120 000 a year, including fees, accommodation and food. My mother works as a cleaner and has to support me and my younger sister.”
He said he received R50 000 from the office of the Eastern Cape premier, R60 000 from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS ) and has to raise R10 000 on his own, which was difficult.
“My younger sister might not be as fortunate as I am in receiving financial assistance when she has to go to varsity. She will have to pay her own fees and there is no one in my family who can afford such ridiculous amounts.”
Read: 6% fee cap may be a tough sell
Tabata said students would continue to protest until their demands are met. The increase is just too much.
Lwazi Pakadi, who is studying art at Stellenbosch University, said he “fought against the 11 percent increase” proposed by university management because of his circumstances – and that of many other students.
The 20-year-old SRC member was raised by a single mother who is also taking care of his grandmother, aunt and cousins in Langa.
She works at a restaurant in Tyger Valley, earning less than R3 000 a month. The family’s funds are complemented by his grandmother’s pension of R1 420.
“Our parents can’t afford the steep fees. If I tell my parents that fees are increasing, my degree will gross to R300 000, and that is an amount that they will never be able to comprehend.
“My story inspires me to fight because my family of only women have been able to care for me from primary school. They make a small contribution to my fees and give me an allowance to survive on,” he said.
Pakadi said studying with the help of NSFAS was a burden as students have to repay the loan with “interest and back tax while taking care of their families”.
Cape Argus
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