University crisis deepens

SPIRALLING student debt has reached almost R14 billion. A financially crippled government and political battles within the ANC have been affecting a growing higher education financing crisis that has already contributed to a difficult start of the 2021 academic year in South Africa.

In the week beginning March 8, student protests erupted over the cost of higher education and escalated throughout South Africa, following an announcement by student organisations that they would enforce a nationwide shutdown starting on March 15.

Dr Blade Nzimande, said on March 16 that the government could not afford to write off historical student debts, as demanded by the South African Union of Students.

Nzimande added that the government could not afford or support a 0% fee increment.

He echoed the austerity-driven words of Finance Minister, Tito Mboweni, who said in February