Department of Higher Education has failed students - Cassim

Somila Nkosana

11 July 2016

The DA has claimed that the ANC-aligned student’s organisation, SASCO, has through intimidation and violence, closed down Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University.

DA spokesperson said this has happened in the middle of exams and will hurt students, especially those who are poor.

Particularly because no students are involved in this protest but rather a few members of SASCO and mostly staff.

DA Shadow Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training, Yusuf Cassim, said “The DASO-led SRC has endeavoured to raise funds to assist students without funding with day-to-day needs, including textbooks.

So far the SRC has collected more than 1 000 textbooks throughout the holidays in an attempt to alleviate the crisis.

To this end we encourage all students to unite behind the democratically elected SRC who are presently listening to the concerns of students at residences and will lead peaceful a protest founded on student-centric issues.”

He added that he thinks “more needs to be done” and that he believes that the Department of Higher Education, under Blade Nzimande, has failed students.

Cassim has promised that the DA will continue to fight, peacefully, for more funding for students – so that every qualifying young South African can access the training and education they need to access opportunities and live a life with dignity.