A Critical Reflection of Higher Education in the Era of #RhodesMustFall and #FeesMustFall: A South African Perspective
Corresponding Author(s) : Mogomme A. Masoga
Journal of Higher Education in Africa,
Vol. 23 No. 1 (2025): Journal of Higher Education in Africa: Special Issue on Decolonising Knowledge Production in the Humanities, Social Sciences and Arts
Abstract
This study critically examines the transformation of South African higher education following the #RhodesMustFall and #FeesMustFall movements (2015–2017), which challenged racialised institutional cultures, Eurocentric epistemologies and neoliberal governance. Anchored in decolonial theory and critical pedagogy – drawing on Frantz Fanon, Ngũgĩ Wa Thiong’o, Paulo Freire and scholars of pluriversal knowledge systems – the study situates ‘Fallist’ activism within broader critiques of corporatisation, managerialism, and statutory constraints imposed by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), the Council on Higher Education (CHE) and the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA). Employing qualitative documentary analysis and narrative inquiry, the study draws on primary protest texts, student manifestos, media reports, policy documents and academic literature. Findings highlight the movements’ demands for curriculum decolonisation, free education, epistemic justice and institutional inclusivity, while revealing post-movement challenges such as intensified managerial control, audit-driven cultures and marginalisation of student agency. The study argues that while symbolic and material gains were achieved, sustainable transformation remains fragile, underscoring the need for structural, epistemic and ethical reform beyond episodic protest.
Keywords
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- "Appadurai, A.,1996, Modernity at large: Cultural dimensions of globalisation.
- Minneapolis. MN: University of Minnesota Press
- Badat, S., 2022, Decolonisation and Transformation in South African Higher Education: Dilemmas and Possibilities. HSRC Press.
- Booysen, S., (ed.), 2016, #FeesMustFall: Student Revolt, Decolonisation and Governance in South Africa, Johannesburg: Wits University Press.
- Bosch, T., 2017, ‘#FeesMustFall: The politics of protest and student power’, Critical Education, 8(1): 35–52.
- Bosch, T., 2017, ‘Twitter activism and youth in South Africa: The case of #RhodesMustFall’, Information, Communication & Society, 20(2): 187–203.
- Bowen, G.A., 2009, ‘Document analysis as a qualitative research method’, Qualitative Research Journal, 9(2), 27–40. https://doi.org/10.3316/QRJ0902027
- Cherrington, A.M., Botha, M., and Keet, A., 2018, ‘Editorial: ‘Decolonising’ Education Transformation’, South African Journal of Education, 38(4): 1–4. https://doi.org/10.15700/saje.v38n4editorial
- Chigudu, S., 2020, ‘#RhodesMustFall in Oxford: A critical testimony; #RhodesMustFall at Oxford: untémoignage critique’, Critical African Studies, 12(3): 302–12.
- Denzin, N.K., and Lincoln, Y.S., (eds), 1994, Handbook of Qualitative Research, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
- Freire, P., 1970, Pedagogy of the Oppressed, New York: Continuum.
- Habib, A., 2019, Rebels and rage: Reflecting on #FeesMustFall, Johannesburg: Jonathan Ball Publishers.
- Heleta, S., 2016, ‘Decolonisation of higher education: Dismantling Epistemic violence and Eurocentrism in South Africa’, Transformation in Higher Education, 1(1): 1–12.
- Jansen, J., 2017, As by Fire: The End of the South African University, Cape Town: Tafelberg.
- Langa, M., (ed.), 2017, #Hashtag: An Analysis of the #FeesMustFall Movement at South African Universities, Johannesburg: Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR).
- Le Grange, L., 2016, ‘Decolonising the university curriculum’, South African Journal of Higher Education, 30(2): 1–19.
- Le Grange, L., 2019, ‘Decolonising the university curriculum: Leading article’, South African Journal of Higher Education, 33(4): 1–12.
- Luckett, K., and Shay, S., 2021, ‘Reimagining curriculum for a socially just pedagogy: A South African perspective’, Higher Education Research & Development, 40(3): 1–14.
- Mignolo, W., 2011, The Darker Side of Western Modernity: Global Futures, Decolonial Options, Durham, NC: Duke University Press.
- Mbembe, A., 2016, ‘Decolonising the university: New directions’, Arts and
- Humanities in Higher Education, 15(1): 29–44."
- "Morreira, S., Luckett, K., Kumalo, S.H., and Ramgotra, N., 2023, Decolonising Curricula and Pedagogy in Higher Education: Bringing Decolonial Theory into Contact with Teaching Practice, London: Routledge.
- Ndlovu-Gatsheni, S., 2013, Coloniality of Power in Postcolonial Africa: Myths of Decolonisation, Dakar: CODESRIA.
- Nyamnjoh, F.B., 2016, ‘Black pain matters’, in #RhodesMustFall: Nibbling at Resilient Colonialism in South Africa, Bamenda, Cameroon: Langaa RPCIG, pp. 59–112. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctvmd84n8.16
- Omodan, B.I., and Diko, N., 2021, A conceptualisation of Ubuntugogy as a decolonial pedagogy in Africa’, Journal of Culture and Valuesin Education, 4(2): 95–104 https://doi.org/10.46303/jcve.2021.8
- Pillay, S., 2017, ‘#FeesMustFall and the new generation of student activists in South Africa’, Transformation: Critical Perspectives on Southern Africa, 94: 1–18.
- Pillay, S., 2021, ‘Pedagogies of resistance: The #FeesMustFall movement and the politics of knowledge’, South African Journal of Higher Education, 35(1): 78–91. Ramose, M.B., 2003, ‘The philosophy of ubuntu and ubuntu as a philosophy’, in
- P.H. Coetzee and P.J. Roux (eds), Philosophy from Africa: A Text with Readings,
- 2nd edition, Cape Town: Oxford University Press, pp. 230–37.
- Scott, J., 1990, A Matter of Record: Documentary Sources in Social Research, Cambridge: Polity Press.
- Tuck, E., and Yang, K.W., 2012, ‘Decolonisation is not a metaphor’, Decolonisation: Indigeneity, Education & Society, 1(1): 1–40.
- Wa Thiong’o, N., 1986, Decolonising the Mind: The Politics of Language in African Literature, Nairobi: Heinemann/EAEP.
- Zinn, H., 2015, A People’s History of the United States, New York: HarperCollins."
References
"Appadurai, A.,1996, Modernity at large: Cultural dimensions of globalisation.
Minneapolis. MN: University of Minnesota Press
Badat, S., 2022, Decolonisation and Transformation in South African Higher Education: Dilemmas and Possibilities. HSRC Press.
Booysen, S., (ed.), 2016, #FeesMustFall: Student Revolt, Decolonisation and Governance in South Africa, Johannesburg: Wits University Press.
Bosch, T., 2017, ‘#FeesMustFall: The politics of protest and student power’, Critical Education, 8(1): 35–52.
Bosch, T., 2017, ‘Twitter activism and youth in South Africa: The case of #RhodesMustFall’, Information, Communication & Society, 20(2): 187–203.
Bowen, G.A., 2009, ‘Document analysis as a qualitative research method’, Qualitative Research Journal, 9(2), 27–40. https://doi.org/10.3316/QRJ0902027
Cherrington, A.M., Botha, M., and Keet, A., 2018, ‘Editorial: ‘Decolonising’ Education Transformation’, South African Journal of Education, 38(4): 1–4. https://doi.org/10.15700/saje.v38n4editorial
Chigudu, S., 2020, ‘#RhodesMustFall in Oxford: A critical testimony; #RhodesMustFall at Oxford: untémoignage critique’, Critical African Studies, 12(3): 302–12.
Denzin, N.K., and Lincoln, Y.S., (eds), 1994, Handbook of Qualitative Research, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Freire, P., 1970, Pedagogy of the Oppressed, New York: Continuum.
Habib, A., 2019, Rebels and rage: Reflecting on #FeesMustFall, Johannesburg: Jonathan Ball Publishers.
Heleta, S., 2016, ‘Decolonisation of higher education: Dismantling Epistemic violence and Eurocentrism in South Africa’, Transformation in Higher Education, 1(1): 1–12.
Jansen, J., 2017, As by Fire: The End of the South African University, Cape Town: Tafelberg.
Langa, M., (ed.), 2017, #Hashtag: An Analysis of the #FeesMustFall Movement at South African Universities, Johannesburg: Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR).
Le Grange, L., 2016, ‘Decolonising the university curriculum’, South African Journal of Higher Education, 30(2): 1–19.
Le Grange, L., 2019, ‘Decolonising the university curriculum: Leading article’, South African Journal of Higher Education, 33(4): 1–12.
Luckett, K., and Shay, S., 2021, ‘Reimagining curriculum for a socially just pedagogy: A South African perspective’, Higher Education Research & Development, 40(3): 1–14.
Mignolo, W., 2011, The Darker Side of Western Modernity: Global Futures, Decolonial Options, Durham, NC: Duke University Press.
Mbembe, A., 2016, ‘Decolonising the university: New directions’, Arts and
Humanities in Higher Education, 15(1): 29–44."
"Morreira, S., Luckett, K., Kumalo, S.H., and Ramgotra, N., 2023, Decolonising Curricula and Pedagogy in Higher Education: Bringing Decolonial Theory into Contact with Teaching Practice, London: Routledge.
Ndlovu-Gatsheni, S., 2013, Coloniality of Power in Postcolonial Africa: Myths of Decolonisation, Dakar: CODESRIA.
Nyamnjoh, F.B., 2016, ‘Black pain matters’, in #RhodesMustFall: Nibbling at Resilient Colonialism in South Africa, Bamenda, Cameroon: Langaa RPCIG, pp. 59–112. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctvmd84n8.16
Omodan, B.I., and Diko, N., 2021, A conceptualisation of Ubuntugogy as a decolonial pedagogy in Africa’, Journal of Culture and Valuesin Education, 4(2): 95–104 https://doi.org/10.46303/jcve.2021.8
Pillay, S., 2017, ‘#FeesMustFall and the new generation of student activists in South Africa’, Transformation: Critical Perspectives on Southern Africa, 94: 1–18.
Pillay, S., 2021, ‘Pedagogies of resistance: The #FeesMustFall movement and the politics of knowledge’, South African Journal of Higher Education, 35(1): 78–91. Ramose, M.B., 2003, ‘The philosophy of ubuntu and ubuntu as a philosophy’, in
P.H. Coetzee and P.J. Roux (eds), Philosophy from Africa: A Text with Readings,
2nd edition, Cape Town: Oxford University Press, pp. 230–37.
Scott, J., 1990, A Matter of Record: Documentary Sources in Social Research, Cambridge: Polity Press.
Tuck, E., and Yang, K.W., 2012, ‘Decolonisation is not a metaphor’, Decolonisation: Indigeneity, Education & Society, 1(1): 1–40.
Wa Thiong’o, N., 1986, Decolonising the Mind: The Politics of Language in African Literature, Nairobi: Heinemann/EAEP.
Zinn, H., 2015, A People’s History of the United States, New York: HarperCollins."