The struggle goes on for Khanya Cekeshe

#FeesMustFall activist, Kanya Cekeshe is out on parole.
#FeesMustFall activist, Kanya Cekeshe is out on parole.
Image: ANTONIO MUCHAVE

#FeesMustFall activist Khanya Cekeshe believes the fight for a "free, decolonised quality education" must continue.

Speaking to Sowetan yesterday, Cekeshe said he would still participate in campaigning for free education.

"At times I worry that a lot of fees must fall activists suffered during the movement and we have students who lost their lives. I would hate to see all that has been sacrificed to be for nothing.

"We fought for a better life for all black people, including the ones in prison. I hope those in parliament would not be silenced by the space they are in and they won't forget the people who have been with them from beginning," Cekeshe said in an interview with Sowetan.

"We fought for free education and I am grateful that the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) is now a bursary and not a student loan. We still have a long way to go because the same leaders who declared free education are the ones who are still prosecuting the #FeesMustFall activists. However, I am happy we have some of our comrades in parliament and one would hope that they are actually still pushing our agenda," Cekeshe said.

He said he still has flashbacks of the time he spent behind bars after he was sentenced to five years for public violence and malicious damage to property.

"I still have flashbacks of prison and not just at night but even during the day. Sometimes I would be sitting and will zoom out as everything will just come back. Being there (prison) was a dark time and the lowest moment of my life. I experienced a lot of things but I can't go into details for now as I have a case that is before court," Cekeshe said.

He was released from Leeuwkop Prison in December after spending two years behind bars. Cekeshe qualified for parole following a remission of sentences announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Talking about his time inside, Cekeshe said he spent it teaching English to inmates and he also joined the Prison Managememt Committee (PMC). After he was suspended and expelled from Foot Print Media Academy for his involvement in the #FeesMustFall campaign he has managed to register for LLB with Unisa.

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