By: Natasha Archary
Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Prof Blade Nzimande has rubbished reports that he intends to increase university fees for the 2024 academic year.
Nzimande says the information that is being circulated is false and ill-informed, and stresses that as Minister he has no role in determining fees at universities.
“In accordance with the Higher Education Act 101 of 1997, the authority to determine the fees of individual universities rests with University Councils.
Therefore, the Minister has no such authority to determine the individual fees of universities and to do so, would be to act ultra vires (beyond his powers) on the part of the Minister.
However, in view of the socio-economic reality of our country, through the Department, each year, the Minister usually provides the universities with a framework that should guide how they determine their fee structure.
The Minister does this with the sole intention of ensuring that, in how universities determine their fee structures, students and in particular those from poor and working-class backgrounds, are not adversely affected by the fee determinations of universities.”
Nzimande says it is disappointing and somewhat mischievous that formal organisations and long-standing media houses, would make public statements on university fees, without first informing themselves on the process of determining university fees.
The Minister has been implicated in allegations of corruption at the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), after the Organisation for Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA) released leaked audio recordings of meetings.
NSFAS Chairperson, Ernest Khoza was also implicated, and has since taken leave.
Meanwhile, Nzimande has vehemently denied any wrongdoings, refuting allegations of kickbacks at NSFAS as an orchestrated attempt to tarnish his reputation.
