GRACE SELLS fried chicken at the gates of a public hospital.
It helps in her daily struggle to pay her child’s university fees.
“I REALLY SUPPORT THE PROTEST AGAINST THE FEES,” SHE SAID.
“I don’t want my son to be a drop-out,” said Grace Mamabolo (57), from Turfloop, while waiting for patients going to Mankweng Hospital in Polokwane, Limpopo. “If it comes to the push I will
close my stall and join these kids. We are tired of empty promises.”
Taxi driver, Samuel Lekganyane (52) said he works to get his son through university.
“I support these students until they win this battle,” he said
JOBURG: Norie Mfanta, a cleaner, said: “Children come from different backgrounds. There are many children who want education but they don’t have money.” Domestic worker Olga Sintu (50) said: “My 22-year-old daughter wanted to study at Wits. With the increment, it will be even more difficult to afford the tuition fees.”
CAPE TOWN: Domestic worker and mother of five, Ntomboxolo Sithukuthezi (54) from Dunoon said the little money she makes has never been enough since her daughter went to university in 2013.
“It has been a real challenge to keep my child in varsity as a third year student and now it’s going to be a lot tougher. My daughter fetches food and money from home and my employer helps me when I have a crisis. It is very painful for a parent,” she said.
TSHWANE: Paulinah Masilela said: “I sometimes feel they are trying to force our children out of university because they know that black people can’t afford the high fees. I struggled with the fees for three children. I was selling fat cakes while my husband worked. “We sometimes went to bed on empty stomachs because we channelled all the household money into affording the fees. “If I could, I would join the students so the leaders know how this affects us.” We can no longer keep up with this.” Worried mother Samantha Sithole said: “My son is a second year student at the University of Pretoria. I am worried about the new fees. I am a single parent and hardly coping as it is.” “My son did not receive financial aid. I was forced to take out a student loan.”Worried Martha Mashika whose grandchild is a student at TUT said: “We are in support of the student protest. We are hoping the president can take time off to listen to their grievances. They should not send out the police to protesting students.
EASTERN CAPE: Thembela Mantyi (56) from East London works in Port Elizabeth.
“My daughter (20) is a second-year student at Walter Sisulu in East London. She does not qualify for financial aid because I am employed. I struggle to pay fees and have taken out a loan so she can get quality education,” she said. “I fully support the strike. I was traumatised by the way our kids were handled by the police.”
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