Demand for free education ‘noble and legitimate’: deputy minister

The demand by students for a free education is a noble and legitimate one‚ but transformation is a dynamic and continuous process and unlikely to be exacted in a single swoop‚ Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training Mduduzi Manana said on Monday.

He was responding to a memorandum presented to him outside Parliament on Thursday by students demanding “free Afrocentric quality education”.

Manana reiterated that the government had committed to free higher education for the poor at undergraduate level and that its phasing in required urgent consideration of funding mechanisms.

“The Minister of Finance has during the delivery of the Medium Term Expenditure Framework statement‚ asserted that he had requested for advices on Wealth Tax. In this connection‚ we will further consider radical proposals including Corporate Education Tax‚ increasing the skills levy and general reprioritisation in government in order to fund this number one priority in the country‚” he stated.

On the issue of issue of insourcing which students also demanded‚ Manana noted that the University of Cape Town (UCT) Management and organised labour had concluded an agreement in respect of insourcing of auxiliary services‚ namely‚ cleaning services‚ residences and university buildings‚ catering in student residences‚ grounds and gardening services‚ campus protection services and student and staff transport services. The insourcing would be phased in upon the expiration of the prevalent services with external service providers.

“The issues you raised regarding outsourcing of services are legitimate aspirations that seek to assert the betterment of conditions of services of workers. Your petition or memorandum is taken seriously. In this context‚ we will circulate your memorandum with all Institutions of higher learning for due consideration. We urge for meaningful and constructive engagement to deal with these important matters.

“Structures of governance in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are currently involved in negotiations with relevant stakeholders to deal‚ with amongst‚ others outsourcing of services.

“In this connection‚ the Minister of Higher Education and Training‚ Dr BE Nzimande‚ has appointed a Task Team to seriously scrutinize into the matter of outsourcing in the Higher Education Institutions (HEIs)‚ you will be kept abreast of developments and progress in this regard‚” Manana stated.

On the issue of alleged police brutality during the nationwide student protests‚ Manana said the matter had been referred to the Acting Commissioner of Police‚ General KJ Phahlane.

“Nonetheless it is noteworthy that the South African Constitution contains a Bill of Rights that binds citizens and the State alike. In terms of section 7(2)‚ it is peremptory that the State must respect‚ protect promote and fulfil the rights in the Bill of Rights. Section 19 (1) (c) provides for the right to campaign for a political cause as the one evident in your aspiration for free Afrocentric socialist education. Equally importantly‚ students as everyone have a right‚ peacefully and unarmed‚ to assemble‚ to demonstrate‚ to picket and to present petitions. Thus‚ we cannot criminalise lawful and legitimate protest by students‚” Manana said.

However‚ he said his department did not have the authority to withdraw criminal charges against any students‚ as it had not preferred any charges.

“Once charges have been preferred‚ it is the prosecuting authority that has the legal authority to deal with the matter. We note that the University of Cape Town (UCT) has withdrawn charges. We urge students to respect the law and the Constitution of the Republic when engaging in protests to avert confrontation with the Security agencies and for police to exercise restraint when engaging with peaceful protesters‚” Manana said.

In a separate statement‚ Manana’s department commended students for returning to their respective academic programmes on Monday.

“All our universities‚ with the exception of the University of the Western Cape‚ resumed their programmes and began refocusing on learning‚ including preparations for their final examinations‚” the department said.

RDM News Wire.