Consultations still taking place on university fee increase

Consultations within government and with stakeholders in the higher education sector with regards to university fee increases for 2017 are still taking place‚ the Presidency says.

The Presidency was responding to a report that President Jacob Zuma had ordered finance minister Pravin Gordhan and higher education minister Blade Nzimande to implement students’ demands for a zero-percent increase in university fees for 2017.

City Press cited government sources which it said had confirmed that Zuma had made the order at the ANC’s National Executive Council meeting last week.

According to the paper‚ Zuma’s order directly overruled instructions coming from Nzimande‚ which said that universities in South Africa needed at least a 6% hike in fees for 2017‚ or risk facing financial collapse.

“Consultations within government and with stakeholders in the higher education sector are still taking place as announced by the Minister of Higher Education and Training‚ Dr Bonginkosi Nzimande. An announcement will only be made once the process has been completed‚” Presidency spokesman Dr Bongani Ngqulunga said.

“To find long term solutions‚ President Zuma appointed the Commission of Inquiry led by Judge Heher to look into the funding of higher education and training‚” Ngqulunga added.