JONATHAN JANSEN | Trust an authoritarian like Trump to undercut what makes our universities great
But how did medical research in South Africa come to be so dependent on foreign aid in the first place?
20 February 2025 - 04:30
Why do authoritarian leaders set their sights on universities? For a very simple reason. It is a place where people think, or are supposed to think, for themselves. You can’t have that in a dictatorship where thinking is done for you and dissent has consequences from exile to imprisonment or death. But there are other ways to bring about the demise of universities and that is to cut them off financially at the knees...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
There’s never been a more important time to support independent media.
From World War 1 to present-day cosmopolitan South Africa and beyond, the Sunday Times has been a pillar in covering the stories that matter to you.
For just R80 you can become a premium member (digital access) and support a publication that has played an important political and social role in South Africa for over a century of Sundays. You can cancel anytime.
Already subscribed? Sign in below.
Questions or problems? Email helpdesk@timeslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00.