Alliance partners fight over prospect of student fee rise

BDLive 10 September 2016

A public relations spat has broken out between the African National Congress Youth League and its youth alliance partner in the South African Communist Party against the backdrop of rising tension at universities over the prospect of fee increases, writes Bekezela Phakathi for BDLive.

The University of KwaZulu-Natal is the institution hardest hit by the turmoil sparked by the likelihood of fee hikes being introduced in 2017. It has suffered extensive damage to its property and its students have been injured and arrested in running battles with the police. Department of Higher Education and Training Director-general Gwebinkundla Qonde last Wednesday said that the department had noted the unrest at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, and had also moved to dispel "misleading" reports that the government had taken a firm decision on fees.

In an open letter, ANC Youth League Secretary General Njabulo Nzuza has called on Higher Education and Training Minister Blade Nzimande to deal with the fee crisis by implementing a resolution that was taken by the ANC’s national executive committee that no fee increases be instituted. The Young Communist League responded with its own open letter, addressed to President Jacob Zuma. League National Secretary Mluleki Dlelanga wrote: "We believe [Nzuza] chose to isolate comrade… Nzimande because he [Nzuza] does not believe in collective responsibility when it suits him [Nzuza]." Dlelanga blamed Zuma for the education debacle.
Full report on the BDLive site

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