2025 marks a decade since the #FeesMustFall movement began.
Looking back, I remember the protests that started at Wits University quickly spreading to universities and TVET colleges nationwide. Students were fighting for something that had never been part of my reality: accessible, affordable education. In 2016 this movement drew me into activism and inspired my journey as a social justice advocate.
Ten years later, much has remained unchanged in our institutions of higher learning, reinforcing the truth of the adage: the more things change, the more they stay the same.
In March 9 2015, students at the University of Cape Town (UCT) called for the removal of the statue of Cecil John Rhodes. This act was a response to the glaring absence of racial transformation and decolonisation within their institution, along with issues such as institutional racism and restricted access to education and student accommodation. For many black students, Rhodes symbolised the persistence of white supremacy and colonialism within the university system, as well as the inequality still prevalent between black and white students on campus.
The #RhodesMustFall campaign sparked national and global attention and ignited conversations about the need to decolonise universities and public spaces. It was a pivotal moment in the fight for a more just and equitable South Africa, it would be an injustice for me to go to #FeesMustFall without mentioning the #RhodesMustFall campaign.
The struggle for affordable education has deep historical roots. For as long as black students have been allowed into higher education institutions, there have been calls for lower fees, better living conditions and more inclusive access. While the #FeesMustFall protests officially began in 2015, the demand for a more accessible and just education system has been a long-standing tradition among progressive students.
The inequalities of South African society are starkly reflected in our universities. For many students, like myself — a boy from Orange Farm who attended public schools — entering a university environment was a culture shock. My first year at Wits University was eye-opening: while I struggled to find pen and paper, my fellow students were typing away on MacBooks at speeds I had only seen on the SABC TV soapie Generations.
As an NSFAS student, I lived in external accommodation with far lower standards than those in university residences, and the technological divide was palpable. It became clear that the university system favoured those with access to resources, leaving many like me at a disadvantage. It's not just hard to enter these institutions; it's also incredibly hard to stay in them.
On October 6 2016, Wits University workers staged a National Day of Action against outsourcing. This practice, in which universities hire third-party companies to handle essential services like cleaning, maintenance and security, had left workers vulnerable to exploitation. Many workers were earning as little as R2,000 per month with no medical aid or retirement benefits.
This issue — first introduced when Wits outsourced its services in 2001 — remains widespread across South African universities and continues to undermine the dignity of workers. The National Day of Action, led by both workers and students, highlighted the intersection of our struggles. The slogan "an injury to one is an injury to all" came to symbolise the united front of students and workers fighting for better conditions at institutions of higher learning.
The #FeesMustFall protests gained momentum in 2015 when students at Wits University rallied against a proposed 10.5% fee increase — an amount that many students simply could not afford. The movement spread rapidly, calling for free, quality and decolonised education for all South Africans. Students marched to the Union Buildings, demanding that the government address the profound inequities within the higher education system.
It’s time to ask ourselves: how much longer must we fight for what should have been delivered 10 years ago?
By the end of the protests, the government had committed to freezing the fee increases for 2016. However, the movement didn’t end there. In August 2016, the minister of higher education, Blade Nzimande, announced a capped fee increase of 8% for 2017, prompting another wave of protests. In response, the government increased funding for higher education by R17bn over three years, pledging subsidies for universities. This was a significant win — but it didn’t solve all the issues students were facing.
In 2018 the government introduced free higher education for students from poor and working-class backgrounds through the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS). This move, totalling R12.4bn in 2018 and expected to rise to R24.3bn in 2020, was a direct result of the #FeesMustFall protests. However, many challenges persist. The inequality, racism and poverty that were highlighted by the protests are still deeply ingrained in our educational system. The push for decolonisation, too, has stalled. These issues are often only discussed within the humanities faculties and students continue to struggle with rising costs, limited spaces and an inadequate NSFAS system that fails to meet the needs of those it was designed to help.
The economic fallout from Covid-19 worsened these problems. In 2021, while serving as the Wits SRC logistics officer, we started and had the #WitsAsinamali protest, calling attention to the devastating impact the pandemic had on students' ability to pay for education. In 2023 protests continued, with students fighting for the same access to education they had been demanding a decade earlier. Even today, rising fees, unpaid student debt and the failure of NSFAS continue to impede students' access to education.
As we mark the 10th anniversary of #FeesMustFall, it’s clear that much of the progress we hoped for remains elusive. While we have won some victories, including increased funding for higher education and the introduction of free education for some, the broader issues of inequality, poor working conditions and a lack of true decolonisation persist. The fact that students are still protesting for the same causes is a stark reminder of how little has changed. The struggle for a free, quality and decolonised education continues — because despite the progress we’ve made, the more things change, the more they stay the same.
In 2025 we find ourselves back at square one. The inequalities that sparked the #FeesMustFall movement are still alive and well. The government has failed to live up to its promises and our universities remain places where access to education is still a luxury for the few. It’s time to ask ourselves: how much longer must we fight for what should have been delivered 10 years ago?
• Kamohelo Chauke is a community and student activist at the University of the Witwatersrand, where he has held multiple leadership positions, including serving as a Student Representative Council (SRC) member from 2021 to 2023.
For opinion and analysis consideration, e-mail Opinions@timeslive.co.za
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.