Johannesburg - Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa has lashed out at the violence accompanying the prolonged #FeesMustFall protests, saying dissent should not undermine the principles upon which the democratic order is built.
He called on political leaders to take heed and pay attention to the management of dissent in society, adding: “The right to peaceful protest, to freedom of association, to freedom of expression are fundamental pillars of a democratic society.”
The deputy president said many countries, including South Africa, struggled to manage the tension between the militant exercise of the rights and the maintenance of the rule of law “and the protection of life and property”.
Across the country the #FeesMustFall protests have seen buildings and vehicles set alight in support of the students’ demands for free quality higher education.
Ramaphosa was speaking at the 11th annual symposium of the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (Eisa) in Joburg on Thursday. Eisa is a watchdog which observes elections across the African continent.
He said democracy thrived when there was space for dissent. “But the manner in which dissent is expressed should not undermine the very principles on which the democratic order is built,” asserted Ramaphosa, who is tipped to succeed President Jacob Zuma as ANC leader next year.
The demand for free higher education, he said, was an issue “that is critical to the future of the country”. However, he said the manner in which a society resolved conflicts, how it managed the tensions, how it navigated the line between dissent and disorder, “says much about the depth and resilience of its democracy”.
Zuma recently announced a ministerial task team on higher education, comprising mainly ministers who are members of the security cluster.