The right of those who want to learn must be protected: Maimane

The right of those university students who wish to continue learning and complete their academic year must be protected‚ says Democratic Alliance leader Mmusi Maimane.

Speaking at the conclusion of a two-day meeting of the DA’s federal executive‚ he said violence and the destruction of property must be condemned in the strongest terms‚ and must be prosecuted.

 “However‚ as much as we call on protestors to act within the law‚ we call upon the SAPS and private security to act with restraint and the within the confines of the law as well‚” he said.

 He said the shutting down of higher education campuses affected the poor the most.

 “If this academic year is lost‚ it would impose significant additional burden on those students who are already struggling to cover their living expenses.”

Maimane added that the country was facing an unprecedented crisis in Higher Education‚ which if left unaddressed would fracture the future of all students as well as the prospects of the South Africa as a whole.

 “This crisis therefore requires leadership from all sectors of society. It is not a just a higher education crisis but a national one‚” he added.

He said the DA’s position had always been fair and progressive.

 “Our position is that a student should not be excluded from building their future because their economic circumstances make a higher education qualification unaffordable. In this regard‚ government can and must do more.”

Maimane added that he would be meeting later on Saturday with Dr Ahmed Bawa‚ CEO of Universities South Africa (formerly Higher Education South Africa) and Prof Adam Habib‚ Chairperson of Universities South Africa‚ in order to address‚ among other things‚ the funding crisis that had shut down the country’s universities‚ as well as the conduct of some protesters‚ and the urgent need to complete this academic year.

 An invitation had also been extended to other opposition parties to attend the meeting‚ he said.