Jakes Gerwel's Dream Deferred

It is time to re-align ourselves at the University of the Western Cape to the vision of the late Prof Jakes Gerwel. The leadership of Prof O'Connell the past couple of years led UWC through its darkest days and took us to new height,s but somewhere along the lines we lost track of who we are.

This became apparent with the Kovacs issue in 2012. It was the students who first noticed a deviation from our ideological stance which is also one of the reasons we protested in 2012. However, the university soon quashed the protests and in the process paint protesting students as irrational.

But we were not irrational because our argument was and still is that Kovacs deviates from being the 'home of the intellectual left', because being the home of the intellectual left means that it will always has a place for those students who come from the working class. In this regard, Kovacs have split the once coherent residence population into two: those who have and those who do not have.

Thus, the current battle at the university must be seen in that regard. It is a battle between two groups of petite bourgeoisie. Both groups want to have control over the production of knowledge which in today's day and age means control over production. Both do not have the interest of the working class student at heart.

What we see now is a university which has lost its vision and identity and have forgotten about the plight of those who they serve - the working class student. It is thus clear the dream of Prof Gerwel is postponed and it is only us (those who still believe in the dream) who can re-align the institution to the vision that made it.

We can start of by electing a Convocation this Saturday, 7 June 2014, who for once represent the current generation of working class students. We cannot allow a generation who are stuck in the past to control all the decision making structures at this university. It is time for change and it only those of us who are brave enough who will vote for change this coming Saturday at the AGM of the Convocation. Please do not make the mistake by hoping those who control this university will throw you a bone. You know you are more worth than to be bribed with an exam pad.