‘Our sacrifices were in vain’ - Mcebo Dlamini slams ANC, Malema amid student protests
Former student leader and Fees Must Fall activist Mcebo Dlamini says he’s hurt by the scenes that unfolded at Wits University on Wednesday.
The ongoing student protests at the university escalated to the point where a 35-year-old man was allegedly shot by police in Braamfontein.
The protests ignited last week when some students failed to register due to outstanding fees.
While tyres were burning and rocks blockaded the busy Braamfontein street, law enforcement unloaded numerous roads of rubber bullets on students who scattered and took refuge in nearby shops and buildings.
The relentless students returned to the streets at peak time, causing traffic to be backed up.
Dlamini says the visuals brought back scars of the trauma he experienced during the Fees Must Fall protests in 2015 and 2016.
“I am angry. I am hurt because it then says to us the generation of Fees Must Fall, our sacrifices were in vain, everything that we fought for. We sacrificed our careers, we were arrested, we couldn’t work where we would like to work today because we have criminal records. We did all that because we were saying our brothers and sisters at home shouldn’t suffer the same fate that we have suffered,” Dlamini says.
“Today my classmates of LLB (Law) were representing the students at Hillbrow Magistrate’s Court. We were represented by Dali (Mpofu) in 2015 but we are representing them now so, there’s a problem.”
Listen to Mcebo Dlamini below:
He claims the African National Congress- led government for failing the youth.
“The problem is the old ANC people. We should look far, they are confused, they are conflicted, they don’t know what to do, they have no solution except to fight each other on Twitter and everywhere.
“I am dejected. I am very much disappointed, more especially because some of us are members of the African National Congress and we campaign every year for the ANC and we go to people and we say to them ‘there is hope’. We give people hope and empty promises and now our leaders make us look like fools,” he adds.
“It seems to me that the ANC old people want to destroy the careers of the young activists because today it is very difficult to wear the T-shirt of the ANC and speak hope to the people when things like these are happening.”
He further slammed Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema for what he says is an attempt to divide students along party lines.
“What brings these students together is the pain. It is the black pain. It is the suffering. They should go beyond the party lines,” says Dlamini.
“Julius annoyed me today when I was watching him on Newzroom Afrika. He spoke like an amateur, he spoke like a small boy. He’s not ready to lead the party as long as he is diving students along party lines.”
Dlamini accuses Malema of being a hypocrite.
“He went on Newzroom to say EFF young people must not lead with the PYA (Progressive Youth Alliance) when he was drinking whiskey and alcohol with Mbalula and all these ANC friends of his for his 40th birthday.
“He is in bed with the ANC but he’s telling young people to fight amongst each other. He is a fool. He is not ready to lead anywhere.”
Wits student leaders are expected to continue their protests on Thursday.
Listen to Mcebo Dlamini below:
