Students have pooh-poohed Blade Nzimande’s proposed fee increase. Picture: File/iStock/Fotor.
Students pooh-pooh Nzimande’s proposed FEE increase
Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande’s proposed fee increase has been pooh-poohed by students, amid growing calls for his resignation.
Students have pooh-poohed Blade Nzimande’s proposed fee increase. Picture: File/iStock/Fotor.
Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande’s proposed fee increase has been rejected by the South African Union of Students (SAUS). The announcement of Nzimande’s proposed fee increase couldn’t have come at a worse time as he faces corruption allegations.
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Alleged to have received kickbacks in awarding lucrative NSFAS direct payment tenders, Nzimande and NSFAS board chair, Ernest Khosa, maintain their innocence. The Organisation for Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA) claims, however, to have incriminating recordings that prove otherwise.
NZIMANDE’S PROPOSED FEE INCREASE
Meanwhile, EWN reports that the SAUS has rejected Nzimande’s proposed fee increase of 4.5% for tuition and residence fees between 2025 and 2027. The SA students union believes the fee increase, along with the 10% NSFAS budget cut for the year, will significantly reduce the number of funded students.
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At the same time, the National Union of Public Service and Allied Workers (NUPSAW) has joined the growing ranks of organisations calling for the Higher Education Minister to step down. The Democratic Alliance announced earlier in the week that it would prosecute through the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) and Public Prosecutor.
GROWING RANKS
Neo Lebethe from the NUPSAW said Nzimande must be held accountable for the mess in his ministry, reports EWN. Besides maintaining his innocence and calling the allegations a targeted smear campaign, “The minister has not produced any concrete information to refute the allegations, so we believe that he should step down pending the outcome of an investigation,” said Lebethe.
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What do you think of Nzimande’s proposed fee increase for higher learning and the allegations against him? Be sure to share your thoughts with our audience in the comments section below. And don’t forget to follow us @TheSANews on X and The South African on Facebook for the latest updates.
