Zuma has no love for ideas‚ intellectuals‚ says Bozzoli
President Jacob Zuma does not have a love of ideas and an admiration for intellectuals‚ the Democratic Alliance’s shadow minister of Higher Education‚ Professor Belinda Bozzoli‚ said in Parliament on Tuesday.
In contrast‚ all the previous presidents of South Africa since 1994 loved ideas and admired intellectuals‚ she said.
Addressing the ANC as a party‚ she said: “When you first came into power you respected Universities. Your Higher Education Act of 1997 praises University autonomy‚ creativity and research. Our first three Presidents had a love of ideas and an admiration for intellectuals.”
She accused the party of wanting to dominates universities‚ of manipulating councils and the appointments of vice-chancellors‚ and of undermining autonomy.
“You did this with the support of your shock troops — the amalaitas of Sasco and Nehawu. You mobilised the pain and hardship of the poorest students and used them for your own ends – to build the ANC and to extend control over Universities‚” she said.
“After the (Julius) Malema-sponsored election of President Zuma‚ your respect for Universities vanished. The President thinks they are expensive‚ unpatriotic places full of ‘clever blacks’. Vice-Chancellors can be publically humiliated with barely a squeak from you. There is a whiff of the Cultural Revolution about.”
She said funding for universities had fallen in real terms by 30%.
“You commissioned three formal enquiries into funding. All of them said this was a crisis waiting to happen. You ignored them. So Universities were subjected to constant protests‚ year in year out‚ mainly about funding. They included looting‚ vandalism‚ the burning of buildings and intimidation of staff and students. You could turn these protests on and off. Usually for a price from Universities.”
She welcomed the recent student protests. “What a breath of fresh air ‘#FeesMustFall’ has been. Students saw through these games. And suddenly protest was directed at you.”
Responding to the speech delivered by Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande‚ she said: “’We are victims of our successes’‚ says Minister Nzimande. Victims??? You are in charge! And have been for 20 years.”
Bozzoli said the ANC had not succeeded in bending universities to fall in line with the party‚ and was now bent on attacking university autonomy.
“And so you attack University autonomy – now a swearword in your circles. You encourage students to believe that this would be a solution. It would not. It will not magically supply more funding. It’s a millenarian dream‚ like all your dreams of nationalization.”