A City Press report points out that while unrest is brewing again on the country’s campuses over tuition fees, Minister in the Presidency Jeff Radebe was vague about the way forward when briefing the media yesterday after last week’s extended Cabinet lekgotla. City Press reported on Sunday that President Jacob Zuma had instructed Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande and Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan to find the money to accommodate a second consecutive 0% student fee increase this year.

This was despite the fact that Treasury had warned that the fiscus could not carry the burden. Radebe reportedly sidestepped queries relating to the City Press report. He said there were consultations on the go, and that an announcement would be made ‘at an appropriate time’. He did say, however, the budget was being ‘reprioritised’ and money might be allocated for tuition fees.

Full City Press report

Nzimande will be grilled today on the 2017 academic year and possible fee increases, says a Business Day report. Among the written questions that Nzimande will have to answer is one from EFF MPL in Gauteng Leigh-Ann Mathys asking whether he knew if universities intended to increase fees for the 2017 academic year and by how much. Mathys also asked Nzimande whether he knew if the students would accept a fee increase. Nzimande has previously called for a 6% fee increase for 2017 in line with inflation, as per a recommendation from the Council on Higher Education.

Meanwhile, the commission of inquiry into the feasibility of free higher education continued hearing submissions in Nelspruit yesterday. The Council on Higher Education made its submissions, saying suggestions that wealthier students subsidise poor students so that they have access to higher education that they cannot afford was not a viable option. 'While this is a sound principle, the reality is that the quantum of need is such that the number of poorer students is growing rapidly, and that the ‘missing middle’ is similarly expanding, while the number of students able to pay fees is decreasing,' said the council in its presentation.

The SA Students Congress also made its submission to the commission. The ANC-aligned organisation said fees could be replaced with public investment and universities could be funded through an independent public institution that would account to the President directly.

Full Business Day report (subscription needed)