Nzimande’s announcements on NSFAS a band-aid on a self-inflicted crisis
11 March 2021
The interventions announced by the Minister of Higher Education and Training, Blade Nzimande, regarding NSFAS funding today is simply a knee-jerk reaction by government to the recent student protests across the country.
Minister Nzimande today announced that Cabinet has approved the reprioritisation of funds to his department; a further reprioritisation in the mid-term budget later this year; and the extension of registration by 1 week.
These are not long-term solutions, but a temporary band-aid to buy time and cover up the fact that the ANC has fumbled its own “free-education” policy -- which was announced by former ANC President Jacob Zuma in a desperate attempt for his faction to stay in power.
Instead of playing open cards with students that NSFAS has seemingly run out of money, the government will now reprioritise funds. Where these funds will come from remain a mystery, considering that NSFAS was one of Minister Tito Mboweni’s casualties to bail out vanity projects such as SAA and Eskom.