Blade Nzimande criticised for blaming Jacob Zuma's free education announcement amid Wits protest

Higher education minister Blade Nzimande ruffled feathers on social media on Wednesday after accusing former president Jacob Zuma of “causing problems” for the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) with his announcement of free higher education in 2017.

The SABC reported Nzimande accused Zuma of undermining the findings of the Heher commission which found that SA cannot afford free tertiary education. The commission was established in January 2016 and released its findings in November 2017. 

Zuma made the announcement at the ANC's national conference in Nasrec, a month after the commission released its report. It had recommended that students at TVET colleges receive free education and prescribed government-backed loans for university students. 

Nzimande said the announcement “messed NSFAS big time” and overburdened the scheme with beneficiaries. 

“It increased the number of NSFAS beneficiaries and what was worse with that decision, it ignored the work that was done by the Heher commission and the transitional measures. That's why we have agreed with the Treasury now that it will go back to the Heher commission,” said Nzimande.

The criticism against the minister comes as Wits University students protest against what they call financial exclusion. The students are also calling for NSFAS to confirm funding for students.

On Monday, Nzimande announced that the scheme is experiencing financial shortfalls and is unable to confirm funding eligibility for first-year students. He said returning students will receive funding if they meet the criteria.

The minister said the department presented possible solutions to the cabinet and committed to holding a media briefing on Wednesday to outline its decisions. 

TimesLIVE reported on Wednesday that Nzimande said he was not at liberty to speak on behalf of the cabinet and would hold a press briefing during the course of the week.

On the Wits protest, he said he was in contact with the institution and that “95% of all the students who are going to be taken by Wits are already registered”.

Here are some of the reactions on social media: