Enough is enough – DA Leader writes to President Ramaphosa to compel Minister Nzimande to intervene at burning campuses

6 March 2020

Note to Editors: Please find attached a video and soundbite by DA Shadow Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology, Baxolile ‘Bax’ Nodada MP. 

The Leader of the  Democratic Alliance (DA) John Steenhuisen has written to President Cyril Ramaphosa to compel Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande to show leadership and take action to resolve the unrest on campuses across the country.

Three days after the Minister painted a rosy picture that higher education institutions were ready for the 2020 academic year during his executive statement in Parliament – students at institutions across the country are still protesting and disrupting the start of the 2020 academic year. It is for this reason that the DA has urged the President to compel Minister Nzimande to intervene as students at many higher education institutions have been left destitute and unable to pay for food and accommodation. Currently:

 At the University of Fort Hare (UFH), the Vice-Chancellor on Thursday issued a notice of suspension for the academic programme; this included a directive for students to vacate the campus and its residences. This has resulted in many students who come from deep rural areas homeless as they cannot afford alternative accommodation and transport.

On Wednesday, protests erupting at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) when a video clip emerged of students sleeping in the university's library;

The University of KwaZulu-Natal has also suffered immensely due to protests this year where buildings were set alight, and violence erupted; and

TVET students from Pietermaritzburg to Tshwane have staged shutdowns and demonstrations due to these colleges not paying out NSFAS funds.

These continued disruptions and violence at tertiary institutions, not only trample on other students' right to access to education, but it could potentially have a ripple effect, spread and destabilise campuses across the country.

The buck stops with Minister Nzimande, and he needs to act now to prevent a complete meltdown at campuses. The DA, therefore, requested the following interventions from the Minister:

That NSFAS expedite disbursements directly to students immediately as they missed their deadline which was 7 February, TVETs are failing to disburse funds to students and therefore NSFAS should do this themselves.

The Minister should provide specific timelines of when poor students will have their historic debt cleared.

To urgently engage the Departments of Public Works and Human Settlements to allocate unused buildings for student accommodation.

Allowances for students at university and TVET Colleges needs to be standardised because accommodation and food are just as expensive for both students who are in TVET Colleges or Universities.

The Minister has to engage Fort Hare management to prevent the eviction of students and find a way to allow for the academic program to continue.

It is unacceptable that Minister Nzimande continues to be aloof as campuses are burning and students across the country are without food and transport allowances. We urge the Minister to remember his primary responsibility, which is to ensure that every South African has fair access to higher education in a conducive and safe environment.

Issued by Baxolile ‘Bax’ Nodada, DA Shadow Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology, 6 March 2020