STATEMENT OF THE AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS ON ONGOING STUDENT PROTESTS AGAINST FEE INCREMENTS
22 October 2015
Over the course of the last 7 days, students throughout the country have been engaged in demonstrations calling on Universities not to implement fee increments for the 2016 academic year. This demand is reasonable and understandable in view of the high cost of tertiary education. These costs are prohibitive to both state and privately funded students. The consequence of this is that fewer students will access higher education. This is a function of a hybrid system where the state is expected to fund higher education whilst at the same time universities are autonomous. It is for this reason that we think that the actions by the Vice Chancellor of the University of Witwatersrand must be condemned. Amongst other actions he has taken is to close the SRC account in order to deepen the crisis with the sole intention of depriving students from writing their final exams. He, like all Vice Chancellors, must take responsibility for the decisions they take.
We condemn what appears to be unilateral decision-making by some institutions to raise fees for the next academic year. The ANC affirms its opposition to any exclusionary policies by institutions of higher learning; especially if those who bear the brunt of such marginalization children of the poor and the working class.
It is also disingenuous for university management and some analyst to try to cast aspersion on the ANC led government. No sooner had the government increased the amount apportioned to NFSAS, the university management decided to increase fees. Their project is clearly the intention to exclude the poor.
In this, the 60th year since the adoption of the Freedom Charter, the organization remains committed to broadening access to higher education for all South Africans. To this end, the ANC government has over the last 21 years made significant strides towards the progressive realization of free education.
It is important to quantify how far we have gone to realize our commitment to free quality education. In South Africa today, all Doctorate or Masters Programmes undertaken through research are funded fully by government. When students successfully conclude their final year of studies, their entire National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NFSAS) loans are converted into full scholarships; effectively meaning the ANC government provides them with free education at the completion of studies. At basic education level, more than 80% of schools are no-fee schools. A serious challenge that remains and must be urgently addressed by government is the “gap years” of the first and second years of undergraduate study where students must still mobilise resources, through NFSAS and other means, to gain access to university.
The challenges being raised by students are not exaggerated. Historical racial inequalities are emphasized and escalating costs have become another source of exclusion of the poor and children of the working class. In certain universities, not only do struggle with access to the institution but are even deprived of the right to eat.
We have been informed that the President of the Republic will be meeting with the university community tomorrow. We urge the meeting to seriously consider the holistic challenges being faced by students be they transformation, language policy or financial exclusion – any such policies enforce discrimination, and run contrary to the spirit of our Constitution and Bill of Rights.
Problems that plague our institutions are not only related to fees, they include amongst others a lack of adequate infrastructure and a need for greater efficiency in the management of our universities. Because of the autonomy of universities there is a limitation on government oversight. University Councils and Vice Chancellors abuse this autonomy to commercialize education and exclude students on the basis of price and consequently race. Our institutions of higher learning should not perpetuate discrimination instead of redress.
Education remains the apex priority of the ANC government. The greatest budget allocation amongst our priority areas goes to education. The bulk of our GDP spend is on education. While all stakeholders continue to engage to find sustainable solutions to the funding of higher education, the ANC appeals to students not to undermine the good campaign they have started by allowing any form of anarcy to derail their cause. Together, we must work hard to ensure students don’t forfeit their right to write their examinations. University management must not be arrogant in the dealing with the grievances of the students. In the same vein, where the police act with brute force against students who are peacefully protesting, they must be condemned and those responsible held to account.
Statement issued by Gwede Mantashe, Secretary General, African National Congress, 22 October 2015
