Student-worker alliances in the making of a social movement: narratives and debates of outsourcing in #feesmustfall

Abstract

This thesis examines the student-workers alliances, in particular the outsourced workers, during the #FeesMustFall (FMF) movement at the University of the Western Cape (UWC). The study reveals how the movement fostered solidarity among students and workers while advocating for transformation within the university. While much has been written about student activism during #FMF at various universities, there is limited research on how the movement built social alliances with workers at the University of the Western Cape. This thesis addresses this gap by documenting the narratives of key stakeholders, focusing on how #FMF influenced the university’s outsourcing and the broader struggle for workers’ rights within the context of South Africa's neoliberal higher education landscape. Very few studies have focused on such alliances and how campus-based student struggles are tied to broader societal and workers struggles. The study employed a qualitative research methodology, utilising both primary and secondary data collection methods. Primary data was collected through interviews with workers and student activists who were involved in the movement, who provided first-hand account of their experiences.. The findings ascertain that #FMF played a critical role in shaping discourse around labour practices, specifically outsourced workers. While the movement was unable to entirely abolish outsourcing at certain universities, it significantly influenced the university policies by advocating for improved conditions for workers. The thesis concludes that #FMF’s legacy at UWC lies not only in its advocacy for free, decolonised education but also in its contribution to labour justice, which is a key aspect in the movement’s broader challenge on neo-liberalism in post-apartheid South Africa.