By: ANG Reporter
The African Radical Economic Transformation Alliance (ARETA) has expressed concern 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,” said ARETA chairperson Carl Niehaus.
“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.”
Niehaus said he met with student leaders of Wits last Friday “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.”
Niehaus said he 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.” Niehaus added that the fact that the students that he met pleaded not to be identified, “is only one indication of the awfully repressive climate that prevails”.
“It is also shocking that mobile network cellphone scramblers are evidently deployed on campus in order disrupt cellphone 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.”
Niehaus said his engagement with student leaders at Wits highlighted critical problems that students at the university were experiencing. Among these is the 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.”
Niehaus said 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 led 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.”
Niehaus said the R 10 000 upfront fee (deposit) had to 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.”
“Minister, Blade Nzimande, and his deputy Buti Manamela 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,” Niehaus said.
