0% increase is a temporary measure that now needs immediate funding
23 October 2015
Today’s announcement of a 0% increase in tertiary fees for 2016, is a welcomed temporary relief for students, but is not the solution to the funding crisis that is at the heart of the problem.
The 0% increase will provide short-term relief, but the systemic funding shortages and subsidy cuts from government were not addressed in today’s meeting. In fact when DA Youth Interim Leader, Yusuf Cassim MP, raised this serious concern in the meeting today, President Zuma refused to acknowledge the seriousness of his submission.
Government agreed to no further funding today, and it would not agree to any bail-out of distressed and indebted students. This is a failure by President Zuma to take the bold steps necessary today to solve this crisis, rather than to defer it.
The establishment of a further commission to consider student fees going forward, must not be another government talk-shop. We must also ensure that institutional independence of universities is not compromised in the process, and that we continue towards promoting inclusive and diverse campuses.
The reality is that there is money in the current that can be immediately reprioritised in order to ensure that this commitment is not an empty promise. To this end, the DA will continue to proceed with its attempt to amend the budget in Parliament. A top level reading of the MTBPS reveals a number of line items that could be reallocated or reprioritised for higher education in the short term. These include:
1. R2 billion from the sale of government’s stake in Vodacom to higher education, currently allocated to the BRICS bank
2. R720 million allocated to the Department of International Relations and Cooperation to offset the impact of the depreciation of the rand on foreign missions
3. An additional R69.7 million allocated to VIP Protection Services in the MTBPS.
4. R67 million allocated immediately for the preparatory work on the planned nuclear build, which the DA maintains should be abandoned.
5. R1 billion from the skills levy, which according to the National Treasury the higher education and training system has significant resources that can be reprioritised.
Over the coming weeks the DA will be using the budget amendment procedures given to Parliament in terms of Section 77(3) of the Constitution to fight for more funding for students.
The outrage and mass mobilisation of students this past week has shown the magnitude of the student funding crisis in South Africa. This crisis has not been solved today, it has just been deferred for another year.
Statement issued by DA leader Mmusi Maimane, 23 October 2015
