http://www.themercury.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=4600833

Gran gets new lease on life

September 09, 2008 Edition 1

LATOYA NEWMAN & SINEGUGU NDLOVU

AN Ulundi mother of eight and grandmother of 35 graduated from a basic adult literacy course yesterday at the age of 86.

"Although it's extremely late in my life, I'm happy that I have an education. I thought I was going to die illiterate," said Pauline Zulu.

Zulu, who was among 6 000 people who graduated from the education department's Masifundisane adult literacy programme, said having a basic education had given her new life.

SSM has supported every Abahlali march from the beginning. SSM has been beaten, tear-gassed and shot at with Abahlali. Abahlali fully supports the demand of SSM that education not be run as a business and that all education should be free. Education should be a right for every person and not the privilege of the rich. Abahlali will be supporting this protest by SSM. Abahlali salutes SSM, who are students inside the university, for supporting the right of people outside to education.

A CALL TO ACTION FOR DECENT FREE EDUCATION FOR ALL
INVITATION LETTER

The Socialist Student Movement (SSM) is making a call to action for free education against the background of a year of protests at institutions of higher learning, culminating at the closure and beginning of the academic year. Financial exclusions, triggered by exorbitant annual fee increments, academic exclusions, shortages of accommodation, of resources necessary for learning and teaching and of qualified educators have pushed students into battles where they have been faced with brutal state repression, with shootings at for example Wits and the University of Johannesburg.