In 2020 the Democratic Alliance Student Organisation (DASO) called for more funding to be made available to NSFAS because we foresaw the problems we see playing out today. These recommendations along with how we advised the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) to manage the Covid-19 pandemic at universities, were received and noted but never implemented.
In light of this, DASO calls for the following:
- Minister Blade Nzimande should resign immediately;
- All accepted students should be allowed to register under special circumstances until a finance solution is reached;
- DHET, NSFAS and National Treasury should meet to make the necessary funds available by the end of April; and
- University managements should cooperate with student bodies to ease tensions and avoid further violence.
DASO further condemns SAPS and Minister Bheki Cele who have continued to use excessive force on student protests for years.
The tragic killing of Mthokozisi Ntumba last week once again highlighted the fact that the country doesn’t have a capable police force. We have learned over the years through different tragedies that our SAPS personnel don’t receive proper training, especially for mass management situations. To this day even after IPID has released a report confirming that the death of Andries Monareng (a TUT student) was actually as a result of two police officers using live ammunition, there is still no conviction.
This has been happening for many years and enough is enough! We will indeed ensure that No Student is Left Behind.
Local Government Elections are coming up in 2021! Visit check.da.org.za to check your voter registration status.