Kidnappings an attack on African development '“ student

UCT student Roscoe Jacobs collected hundreds of signatures on Jameson Plaza this week as he prepared to petition the South African government to help rescue the more than 200 school girls that were kidnapped in Nigeria nearly a month ago.

"The kidnapping in my view is an attack on the future development of Africa, as education is critical in the economic emancipation of the African," says Jacobs, a first-year student and African National Congress Youth League member.

"The petition calls on the SA government to assist, in which ever way it can, the Nigeria government."

A total of 293 students and staff signed the petition, Roscoe reported, expressing his thanks for those that supported him. People that were not students at UCT were also free to sign the petition, he said. The petition was carried out in his individual capacity.

"As a member of the ANCYL and ANC I believe that we have a responsibility towards the development of the African continent furthermore education is critical in the development of Africa," he says.

Roscoe added that while SA might not have the military might of others involved in the rescue efforts, it had its own invaluable skill set.

"As a people we know how to negotiate and our country's history of a peaceful shift to a democratic state is a very good example of that," he said, in reference to SA's negotiated transition from apartheid to democracy.

In addition to his scholarly duties, Jacobs is secretary of the Hout Bay Civic Association and a member of the Hangberg Education and Development Movement.

Story by Yusuf Omar. Image by Michael Hammond.