A recent video shows the BBC trying to interview a University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) fifth-year medical student about the ongoing #FeesMustFall protests that have rocked our campuses. The video has received thousands of views and comments on social media.
In the video, the medical student, identified as Raheem Meer, tells the BBC reporter, Karen Allen, that there is a possibility of graduating later than expected because of the free tertiary education protests. The video then shows another medical student named Xola Nohaji-Mkoko, who tells Meer that he is misrepresenting the #FeesMustFall movement – her issue seemingly being the fact that Meer is not giving an honest representation of the situation.
This video calls for a number of issues to be addressed. These issues are discussed on a factual basis without discussing the #FeesMustFall movement itself and the merit of this movement. Nor will this article entertain the idea that the discussion that Nohaji-Mkoko is trying to foster is important.
After the incident, Nohaji-Mkoko posted via her personal social media account that she is “open for engagement”. The author strongly disagrees with this point made by the Johannesburg-based student. To be open for engagement would mean that one is willing to listen to diverse opinions, especially those that do not support the side of the argument that you fall on. Secondly, being open for engagement means evaluating the given facts and debating and discussing on these grounds.
Let us then look at the facts. Meer stated that medical students at Wits (and possibly many other universities) could face a delayed graduation. This in itself is true; the possibility does exist.
Furthermore, Meer stated that this delay in graduating is due to the protests that have been taking place. Again, objectively speaking, if it were not for the #FeesMustFall protests, medical students would most likely have been graduating at the end of this year. So far there is not much to factually dispute in this regard.
Nohaji-Mkoko’s answer to these statements is that Meer is misrepresenting the movement. She feels that saying the graduation of students might be held up because of #FeesMustFall is giving a misleading account of the movement. The author would challenge Nohaji-Mkoko to prove the opposite without dealing with the emotions of the movement but with the facts and effects thereof.
A further accusation is made by Nohaji-Mkoko that the BBC is pushing one narrative of the #FeesMustFall movement. She then repeats the words “misrepresenting” to prove her point. The irony of this statement is amusing. By trying to shut down and prevent an interview from happening, Nohaji-Mkoko herself is only showing and engaging with one side of their narrative – a narrative that she and her #FeesMustFall colleagues wish to enhance. This narrative also does not take responsibility for the effects of having fewer interns working in our public hospitals, although it seems a bridge too far to expect a sense of responsibility from students who plainly reject the effects that their movements have on themselves.
Although #FeesMustFall is imperative, according to the Wits student Nohaji-Mkok, it does not make discussions about effects of the movement irrelevant.
If discussing the factual effects of a situation is wrong and a misrepresentation of a movement, one has to start questioning the legitimacy of the movement. At some point, the members of the #FeesMustFall movement will have to realize that actions have effects and that the perceived nobility of the actions does not summarily scrap the implications that follow.
In this article
Malinda Nel
It has to be obvious that debating anything rational with the FMF’s so-called students is impossible. I have read that both student representatives, miss Kalli and miss Hassan are members of the Muslim Students Association… maybe being a Muslim who uses my tax money to go to university gives them the right (their skewed ideas) to burn vehicles and cars?
zeeya
You can take your money to whatever Muslim you come from, you think you are the only one paying tax in this country.
Malinda Nel
I have no idea what kind of insult you are trying to convey… I do not come from any Muslim country, but from the failed state of South Africa.
zeeya
What part of my commenting is insulting to you? Its interesting that you say this country has failed and you are still here, enjoying all the lavish life style that you will not be able to afford in whatever country you come from…. if it has failed why don’t you just leave. This arrogance is annoying!!!
Kate
Infantile argument. You know nothing about this person, aside from her race. And you don’t know what kind of lifestyle she lives. Your prejudice is on glaring display here.
I hope you can do better than telling someone to go away simply because you don’t like or can’t refute their argument. That’s kindergarten stuff. Although, it’s what we’ve come to expect from the Fallists, the “movement” that brought us that “Science Must Fall” bollocks.
al.viljoen@yahoo.com
A reply you would expect from a 5 year old – you are truly stupid.
zeeya
Why don’t you crawl back under the rock you came from you retarded twat.
Eye Patch Morty
True, but we dnt really know what was said before the camera started rolling. The girl jumped in half way through the guys answer so it’s pretty likely that she was responding to something said before
Steven van Staden
Of course we don’t hear what anyone else wishes to say when the hectoring harpies speak.
Harald Sitta
Bully-boys, gutter-girls…. who did they come through primary school ??
Steven van Staden
Mhaji-Mkoko’s hectoring, aggressive argument and her refusal to hear a conflicting point of view is notoriously typical of the spokespeople of this FMF student mentality. Afrocentric diktat is in. Truth is out.
Shadeburst
Millennials. Sigh.
zeeya
Xola you did us proud, when we see these actions from young black future leaders we know that the country is in good hands. Aluta!!