Media statement by the African Radical Economic Transformation Alliance (ARETA) about the deepening education crisis at the University of Witwatersrand, and other universities and institutions of higher education throughout SA

6 March 2023

The African Radical Economic Transformation Alliance (ARETA) is deeply concerned about the ongoing general crisis in education in our country, and specifically the ever deepening crisis in Higher Education.

This deepening, and ongoing, crisis is once again highlighted by the plight of students at tertiary institutions throughout our country. Every year when the academic year commences students find themselves in the disastrous, and fundamentally unacceptable, situation that they are forced to engage in protest action in order to simply be allowed to register, have decent accommodation, and be allowed to study.

Sadly, this has now become the norm in a country that claims that the right to equal quality education is a basic human right! This situation is an utter abomination, and it is deeply abusive to young South South Africans in general, and students in particular. It is in contravention of of our Bill of Rights, as enshrined in the Constitution of our country, and reflects the deep credibility chasm that has engulfed our whole nation, together with a total failure of governance and any credible service delivery.

The current Ramaphosa Administration fails our nation on all fronts, and lives a lie: It claims to care for education, and for the future of young people who are by far the majority of our nation, yet in reality it fails to deliver even a semblance of free, equal and quality education. The future and hopes of young South Africans are being destroyed on a daily basis.

The Chairperson of ARETA, Ambassador Carl Mpangazitha Niehaus, met on Friday the 3rd of March 2023 with student leaders of the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) to acquaint himself, on behalf of the Working Board of ARETA, with the ongoing education, student accommodation, and general funding crisis that has again flared up.

It must be noted that the recent crisis cannot be isolated from the ongoing overall crisis in higher education that has been dragging on unresolved - and which in fact only deepened - over the past years. This historical fact in itself is a deep blemish of shame on the governing party, and in particular on the Ramaphosa Administration.

Ambassador Niehaus was deeply disturbed by the general climate of intimidation, and repression, by the Wits University Administration. Hired private security firms are working hand-in-glove the South African Police Service (SAPS) and cast a dark, repressive, cloud over the whole Wits university campus.

It is evident that students are under attack, and are being intimidated, and are fearful of their own safety and well-being. The fact that the students that Ambassador Niehaus met, pleaded not to be identified, is only one indication of the awfully repressive climate that prevails.

It is also shocking that mobile network cell phone scramblers are evidently deployed on campus in order disrupt cell phone communication, and to prevent students from being able to communicate with each other. Such action is illegal, and in contravention of the right of all citizens to be able to communicate and engage freely. To give expression to their right to freedom of speech, and to protest.

It is evident that the University of the Witwatersrand Administration is deliberately, and blatantly, undermining this fundamental human right of students, and that this reflects an underlying attitude of impunity, and a lack of respect for the civil Constitutional rights of students.

In Ambassador Niehaus’ engagement with student leaders the following critical problems that students at the University of the Witwatersrand are experiencing, were brought to the attention of ARETA:

An overall concern was expressed about the mass exclusion from registration, and from being able to access accommodation at university residences for financial reasons. It was pointed out that the Student Representative Council (SRC) convened mass meetings with student leaders in the sub-councils of the SRC, various organisation on campus, general staff members, academics as well as the broader student population. At these meetings it was reported that 6 102 students have been excluded for financial reasons.

Of specific concern is a newly introduced regulation by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), to cap accommodation at R 45 000 per annum, which as a consequence has led to a situation that 5 340 NSFAS funded students are homeless. It must be noted that there is not a single student residence charges this amount for accommodation. The cheapest residence at Wits charges R 65 000.

This has lead to the entirely unrealistic, and unacceptable, situation that students are expected to cover a shortfall of over R 20 000. In this context it is important to note that students who are the recipients of NFSAS funding come from poor backgrounds, and the majority of their families are dependent on SASSA grants.

It is an indisputable fact that they cannot pay the accommodation shortfalls. Furthermore, the R 10 000 upfront fee (deposit) must be wavered, and students must immediately be allowed to to move into the student residences. In addition Wits must allocate a further R 30 million towards hardship accommodation, in order secure more beds for destitute students who are homeless.

In addition NFSAS has centralised accommodation accreditation, and removed it from the jurisdiction of universities. This has worsened the already chaotic administration of student accommodation, and created untold suffering for students.

It is a known fact that NSFAS perpetually fails to attend timely to the applications of students. The consequences are catastrophic for students, not only at the University of the Witwatersrand, but also for students at other universities and tertiary institutions throughout the country.

During the past week we have all seen the tragic scenes, as reported by the media, of thousands of students sleeping in crowded passages, and even on pavements and in public parks. Any government that allows such situation to develop, and treats young students who are the future of our nation, in such a despicable manner does not have a heart, and does not care one iota for the future of our nation.

The Minister, Blade Nzimande, and the Deputy Minister, Buti Maimela, of Higher Education, together with the whole administration of that pathetically failed Department, should hang their heads in shame! They do not deserve to remain in office for a day longer. It is an open secret that corruption is rampant under their watch.

Certainly there does not need to be any debate about it, that those who are guilty of maladministration and theft of tax payers’ money that are meant for education, are destroying the future of our nation, and are the dregs of society. Such people do not deserve to remain a day longer in office, and should be dismissed forthwith, and charged for their crimes.

It was also noted that the NSFAS living allowance for students has been a pitiful R 1 500 per month since 2018, which is outrage, especially taking into consideration the massive and constant hikes in basic living expenses, because of the maladministration of our economy by the totally failing Ramaphosa administration. Not only are students not provided with accommodation, they are also forced to starve!

All of this - like so much else in our failing nation - can no longer be tolerated. Enough is truly enough!

ARETA supports the long suffering students in their demands that the R 45 000 NSFAS ’accommodation cap’ must be cancelled forthwith, and that the centralised accommodation allocation process must be reversed, and that so-called private accommodation ‘top ups’ must be scrapped. Furthermore that the NFSAS allowance must be increased to at least R 2000 (although we are of the opinion that this amount remains woefully inadequate).

We are reliably informed that Wits University is spending no less that R 150 000 per hour on private security companies, who operate like bouncers to intimidate, and in some instances violently attack, students. It will certainly make far more sense for these huge sums of money that are used to repress the democratic, constitutional, rights of students, to be allocated to the SRC Century of Inclusion Fund.

The continuing prevention of students from being allowed to register on the basis of historical debt is an outrage, perpetuated by an elite group of academics. and their WMC funders, who are turning a public institution into a neoliberal capitalist ivory tower that prioritise profit, and academic research and ‘service’ to big monopoly companies and their super profit elite projects, at the tragic expense of the majority of poor students, who are absolutely correct to demand their full right to education.

ARETA therefore supports the call (as a basic bare minimum) that all students who have student debts of R 150 000, or less, should be allowed to register forthwith for the 2023 academic year. In addition all students who are recipients of the Hardship Fund, must be allowed to register, and it must not be demanded of them that they must pay the residual amount.

ARETA is aware of the intimidatory lawyer’s letter from the elitist, and super expensive WMC law firm Edward Nathan Sonnenbergs Inc., that the Wits Administration served on the Student Representative Council. Evidently this is typical of their persistent high handed and arrogant attitude, that threatens, repress, and exploit instead of engage trying to find solutions worthy of being in the service our nation, and caring for the youth who are ultimately the future of our country.

The Wits Administration will be well advised to withdraw their legal threats, and call off their highbrow attack dog lawyers. In the event of them failing to do so ARETA calls on progressive legal practitioners to assist the students bro bono, in the pursuit of their legitimate and just cause.

It can never be that in our country it continues to be a sad reality that only those with fat bulging bank accounts can hope for proper legal representation. Justice should never be a question of wealth, and who is able to pay the highest bidder. Such a situation is NOT justice, it is an aberration and an obscenity!

ARETA holds the Wits SRC in high regard for the fact that hey held no less than 28 meetings with the WITS University Senior Executive team in order to raise all the issues (and also other matters), referred to in this media statement. It is sad that the Wits University Administration dismally failed to respond constructively to these genuine efforts by the Wits SRC, and instead responded with repressive and threatening measures, violating the rights of students.

ARETA furthermore acknowledges the gallant actions that the Wits SRC themselves undertook to find means to address the funding crisis, and to serve the students that they represent. These include the increasing the Hardship Fund from R 10 million to R 28 million, which assisted over 1 236 students with registration and accommodation. In addition they also raised R 12,4 million towards addressing the perpetual issues of historical debt and accommodation.

Instead of trying to intimidate students, and repress their legitimate demands for access to equal, and quality education, the Wits University Administration will do well to engage the Wits SRC, and student body, with dignity and respect, understanding the huge duty that rests on their shoulders to serve our whole nation, and not a small and arrogant rich elite.

ARETA is well aware that the plight of the students at the University of the Witwatersrand, is also the plight students at tertiary institutions throughout our country. In some instances the plight of students at other universities, and institutions of higher education, are even considerably worse. In general the overall state of education throughout our country is a tragedy, and a crime scene!

In acknowledging this sad reality, ARETA commits ourselves to reach out and engage with all students, and their representatives, throughout the length and breadth of our country.

ARETA furthermore acknowledges the gallant actions that the Wits SRC themselves undertook to find means to address the funding crisis, and to serve the students that they represent. These include the increasing the Hardship Fund from R 10 million to R 28 million, which assisted over 1 236 students with registration and accommodation. In addition they also raised R 12,4 million towards addressing the perpetual issues of historical debt and accommodation.

Instead of trying to intimidate students, and repress their legitimate demands for access to equal, and quality education, the Wits University Administration will do well to engage the Wits SRC, and student body, with dignity and respect, understanding the huge duty that rests on their shoulders to serve our whole nation, and not a small and arrogant rich elite.

ARETA is well aware that the plight of the students at the University of the Witwatersrand, is also the plight students at tertiary institutions throughout our country. In some instances the plight of students at other universities, and institutions of higher education, are even considerably worse. In general the overall state of education throughout our country is a tragedy, and a crime scene!

In acknowledging this sad reality, ARETA commits ourselves to reach out and engage with all students, and their representatives, throughout the length and breadth of our country.

Issued by Carl Niehaus, Chair of the Working Board, ARETA, 6 March 2023