/ MEDIA STATEMENT / The content on this page is not written by Polity.org.za, but is supplied by third parties. This content does not constitute news reporting by Polity.org.za.

The GOOD Party is appalled by the tragic mismanagement of higher education students in South Africa. The recent protests occurring at University of Cape Town (UCT), Wits, the University of Western Cape (UWC) and Nelson Mandela University (NMU), reeks of poor administration and a direct result of a failed response to address the student issues encapsulated in the Fees Must Fall protest held years ago. 

The start of the university year is supposed to be a time where students experience education, new cultures and an overall opportunity for growth. The South African experience is a stark contrast, littered with financial, accommodation and administrative failure.

Higher education in South Africa is still barred in red tape, financial mismanagement and inadequate accommodation. The failure of NSFAS to digitise holds a large amount of responsibility for these failures which impact students annually. 

Student bodies have consistently raised these concerns to university governing bodies, who have a responsibility to act on these concerns with the department of Higher Education and Training. Instead of reform, these institutions remain the same. Students now have to rely on a clunkier digitised payment system which in itself is a barrier to education for non-digitised communities. 

In addition, accommodation is still a critical issue with thousands of students nationwide at the mercy of their university as they are outsourced to private accommodation. GOOD condemns the recent reports of exploitation (both financial and sexual) by landlords which is a direct result of this housing failure. 

As an organisation, we demand that the reality of our higher education system be reformed through these first steps.

1.            A national dialogue held between the Department of Higher Education and Training, student representatives and representatives from the various higher education institutions.

2.            The creation of a regulation ruleset regarding private accommodation that must be legally protected and enforced to ensure that should accommodation outsourcing occur; student exploitation is not a result. 

3.            Release all data related to the NSFAS digitised system, including the costs, total breakdowns and buglist.

Youth face a grim reality once they graduate from higher education as a shrinking job pool and high unemployment is a South African youth reality. Our higher education institutions are one of the critical areas where reform is needed to reverse this reality. 

Students challenging this reality should be met with aid and concise communication, not rubber bullets and academic exclusions. 

Issued by Kaden Arguile: GOOD National Youth Chairperson