Wits University students boasted on Monday that Braamfontein, in the heart of Johannesburg, has been rendered ungovernable as higher education minister Blade Nzimande warned that the government could not afford clearing historical debt nor a zero-percent tuition fee increase.
The scene of a deadly shooting last week, when father of four Mthokozisi Ntumba was killed by rubber bullets from police firearms, the streets around Wits University were on fire again on Monday, with reports of a student being injured in clashes with the cops. Roads around the University of Johannesburg (UJ) were also barricaded with burning tyres and rocks.
Wits SRC president Mpendulo Mfeka, who said a student was shot in the leg on Monday – which police denied – vowed to continue with the #asinamali (we don’t have money) protests until their “free education now” demands were met.
“The latest is that Braamfontein has been rendered ungovernable, and other parts of the country have also been rendered ungovernable. Over the weekend, we met with all SRC presidents, all 26 of us, and we decided the state of higher education and learning in our country is not healthy and if we don’t address its health a lot of students will suffer,” said Mfeka.
“We’re continuing [with protests] the rest of the week until our demands are met. The week might not be enough to address out demands — we might need a month.”
We’re continuing with protests the rest of the week, until our demands are met. The week might not be enough to address out demands — we might need a month.
— Mpendulo Mfeka
In response to a long list of demands drafted by the SA Union of Students (SAUS), Nzimande said the department could not afford to clear the historical student debt owed to institutions amounting to nearly R10bn. Neither could it support the call for a zero-percent fee increment for the 2021 academic year.
“The department is not in a financial position to be able to support institutions to clear all student debt of fee-paying students. We are aware that there are many students whose families struggle to keep up with payments and many families who have been negatively affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“However, given the difficult fiscal situation, all government departments, including the department of higher education & training, have been subject to budget reductions in 2020 and 2021,” said Nzimande.
The minister said he was aware many institutions were trying their best to ensure needy students received necessary support so they could register.
We decided that the state of higher education and learning in our country is not healthy, and if we don’t address its health a lot of students will suffer.
— Mpendulo Mfeka
It was unrealistic to assist all students, as institutions also had to survive, he conceded.
“However, institutions also have to remain financially sustainable to continue to operate effectively, and financial decisions are made at the level of university councils.
“The historical debt of Nsfas-qualifying students is being addressed through a process between Nsfas and institutions. Nsfas-qualifying students with historical debt are able to register when they sign an acknowledgment of debt (AOD) form, while the process is under way,” the minister said.
Nzimande expressed his “deep distress” at Ntumba’s death last week. Four policemen were arrested in connection with his killing on Monday and were due to appear in court on Wednesday.
“All institutions rely on student fees for their core operating income, and additional funding is not available from government to support a zero-percent fee increase. Institutions have to remain financially sustainable to meet their operational commitments and academic responsibilities,” the minister said.
All institutions rely on student fees for their core operating income, and additional funding is not available from government to support a zero-percent fee increase.
— Blade Nzimande
The call for free quality education for the poor and the missing middle was also echoed by the SAUS, which suggested that the government increase VAT by 1% to meet this demand.
“Government has committed to providing fully subsidised support to students from poor and working class backgrounds and has been doing so since 2018 through the Nsfas,” said Nzimande.
He added his department would be doing urgent work to review the government’s funding policy. This was to examine its overall affordability and sustainability.
The cabinet has approved additional funds for Nsfas amid funding shortfalls.
The government would now spend R42.1bn on the scheme this year, up by nearly R7bn from the budget of nearly R35bn in 2020 – which was already more than the R32bn the year before.
The department is not in a financial position to be able to support institutions to clear all student debt of fee-paying students.
— Blade Nzimande
The University of Free State, with more than R300m in outstanding debt, announced on Monday that it had agreed to allow students who owed less than R20,000 to register for the new academic year. It was following in the footsteps of many other institutions that announced compromise agreements over the weekend, as was reported in Sunday Times Daily on Monday.
Elsewhere in SA, campuses seemed quieter despite a call by the SA Students Congress for a complete shutdown on all 26 campuses. There were some protests at the Sunnyside campus of Unisa in Tshwane, but most other provinces reported no incidents stemming from students protests. In the Western Cape, Capt FC van Wyk said there had been no violence reported.
The North West’s Col Adele Myburgh said protests at North West University’s Mahikeng campus started in the morning but were peaceful. “The students were gathered at the main entrance of the university, and this afternoon a small group moved from the entrance and blocked the road. Traffic was diverted, and we had no incidents reported so far,” she said.
In the Free State, Brig Makhele Motantsi said it was a quiet day, while Eastern Cape media also reported peaceful protests. At Nelson Mandela University, entrances to some campuses were barricaded with metal drums and rubble. Students at Rhodes University in Makhanda also joined the national shutdown, with university spokesperson Velisile Bukula saying protests continued despite the university responding to demands.
Tshwane University of Technology students told Sunday Times Daily they would only protest next week because they were busy with final-year 2020 exams this week, delayed last year because of Covid-19.
– additional reporting by Nonkululeko Njilo, Shonisani Tshikalange, Mpumzi Zuzile, Naledi Shange and Belinda Pheto
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