Trust fees commission and testify, says judge

22 September 2016 - 08:43 By POPPY LOUW and BONGANI NKOSI

Students have been urged to put their trust in the fees commission, which was set up by president Jacob Zuma to probe the feasibility of free higher education.Commission chairman Judge Jonathan Heher called on students to participate "in a constructive manner". Heher said he hoped students would realise that they would have to put their trust in the commission if they wanted a long-term solution to their concerns."We're attempting, in their best interest, to achieve a solution which would satisfy them. And perhaps may go even further than they could ever hope," said Heher. He said presentations submitted to the commission carried a common theme - that the free provision of higher education and training was necessary to ensure equitable and progressive advancement towards the end goal of free higher education for all.One of the ways this could be achieved was by first focusing on the poor and missing middle. Spokesman Musa Ndwandwe said the commission was preparing itself for any implications that might arise from the Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande's fee increment recommendation on Monday. The commission had initiated a system of accreditation, in which people will have to apply to attend the hearings, and it had increased its security.Hearings scheduled to take place in Bloemfontein and Kimberley had to be postponed after those in East London and Cape Town were disrupted by disgruntled students.The commission will beef up security at its next as the commission plans to up security at its next hearings.Stakeholders from Bloemfontein and Kimberley will present their submissions to the commission in Pretoria today, ahead of the second set of hearings due to start next week...

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