Johannesburg - Graduation day is supposed to be a happy time for all students, but a former student representative council president’s activism during the Fees Must Fall protests nearly cost him the celebration.
Mosibudi Rasethaba is graduating with a BA psychology at the University of Pretoria under strict conditions from the institution.
Last month, Rasethaba received a letter from the institution informing him he would not be allowed on campus for graduation because he was suspended.
His father, Marwala Rasethaba, said: “He was suspended last year after he was arrested for being part of the protests. He was allowed to write his exams and passed, but the university have said they cannot allow him to graduate without conditions."
Rasethaba was arrested last year and released on R1 000 bail for his participation in Fees Must Fall protests at UP.
Marwala said: “It is unfair for them not to want him to attend his graduation. Studying is also part of leadership. He is highly disturbed because of all this.”
The father said one of the conditions that his son was given to be allowed to attend the ceremony was that he post on his social media that the university had now allowed him to graduate.
“When he first received the letter saying he cannot graduate, he put it online, and other students said that if he does not graduate, there would be no ceremony. The university wants him to tell everyone not to disrupt the ceremony, but he does not have that kind of power,” he said.
Rasethaba has put up the note that he will be allowed to graduate on his Facebook and Twitter pages.
He was also informed to “desist from sending or being complicit in the dissemination of threatening messages to the university in relation to graduation ceremonies".
Rasethaba said: “I have never threatened the university and I am not sure why this would be a condition.”
UP spokesperson Rikus Delport said Rasethaba was the only student not allowed to attend graduation, based on the criminal charges against him.
“As per his bail conditions, he may not be on campus without university permission. Following a mediation process and after agreeing to certain conditions, Mr Rasethaba has been granted permission to attend.”
Rasethaba disputes this and says his bail conditions only say he should not take part in any illegal gathering; they don’t bar him from accessing campus.
Delport said Rasethaba had now agreed to all conditions that the university gave him.
Marwala also complained that his son has been denied an alumni card. To this Delport said: “An alumni card gives access to campus, and in terms of the current court process, Mr Rasethaba may not be on university grounds without permission from the university.”
Rasethaba said: “My graduation is for every comrade and black student who has felt the ruthless hand of the university."
"I want to say at my graduation to every black student who has been excluded through expulsion, finances or academics that we will continue to fight alongside you and for you.”