Zero increase in fees - Zuma
Pretoria - There will be a 0% increase in fees for 2016, President Jacob Zuma said on Friday.
"We have agreed that there should be a zero increase," Zuma said in a televised address.
His address comes after a meeting with student leaders and university officials following a nationwide protest against increased fees.
Thousands of students had travelled from around Pretoria and Johannesburg to attend the demonstration, which gradually degenerated into violent scenes at a fence erected on the south lawn separating the students from the Union Buildings.
The protesters had demanded that Zuma that speak to them outside the Union Buildings, however Zuma elected to speak to the nation from inside the buildings.
It was unclear whether he would still address the protesters.
Students who had come to protest peacefully were overshadowed by a minority of students at the fence, many of them wearing T-shirts bearing the branding of the Economic Freedom Fighters, the SA Students Congress, ANC Youth League, and the Pan Africanist Movement of Azania.
Those at the front of fence antagonised riot police by tearing down the fence, and throwing stones, bricks and other objects at police and even media.
Police used stun grenades, tear gas and a water cannon to disperse some of them.
#FeesMustFall - President Zuma's full statement
Fellow South Africans‚
I have concluded a meeting with vice-chancellors‚ chairpersons of university councils‚ presidents of student representative councils and representatives of student organisations nationally‚ which I had convened to discuss the stalemate with regards to university fee increases.
I have received a briefing from student leaders on matters of concern to them which include fees and other challenges including transformation issues as well as matters relating to the living conditions of students at universities.
I have also listened to the views of vice chancellors and chairpersons of university councils.
The meeting agreed that government needs to lead a process that goes wider than fees‚ looking at the higher education sector.
On the matter at hand‚ we agreed that there will be a zero increase of university fees in 2016. Discussions will continue looking at broader issues than the fees.
It was agreed that the Vice-Chancellors will extend the time for the examinations period to compensate for the time lost.
In the long term‚ there is a package of issues that was raised at the meeting that needs to be followed up.
These include free education‚ institutional autonomy‚ racism and what the students call “black debt’’.
The Presidential task team that had been established to address funding mechanisms will be broadened to look at all these and other broader transformation issues affecting higher education.
Government understands the difficulty faced by students from poor households and urges all affected to allow the process to unfold to find long term solutions in order to ensure access to education by our students.
I thank all stakeholders for the constructive manner in which the meeting was conducted which augurs well for future engagements that will seek solutions that are in the best interests of the country.
I thank you.
Issued by The Presidency
Pretoria