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S. African ruling party's youth league reiterates call for free education

Xinhua, October 7, 2016 Adjust font size:

The African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) on Thursday reiterated its calls for the full implementation of free education in South Africa.

The ANCYL issued the statement following an urgent meeting of ANCYL President Collen Maine and provincial chairpersons in Johannesburg to address the current issues afflicting institutions of higher learning.

The meeting was convened amid widespread student protests against fee increases across the country.

The ANCYL is particularly impatient on the implementation of free education, which is a promise made by the ruling African National Congress (ANC), ANCYL national spokesperson Mlondi Mkhize said.

At the 2007 Polokwane Conference as well as the 2012 Mangaung conference, the ANC not only called for free education but also put in place timeframes to address this issue. But the timeframes have not been adhered to.

"We believe that had the Manguang resolutions on free education and its timeframes been adhered to, the situation currently taking place could have been avoided," Mkhize said in reference to the ongoing student protests.

The protests erupted late last month after Minister of Higher Education and Training Blade Nzimande announced that universities can increase fees, provided that it does not exceed eight percent.

The ANCYL wants a moratorium on fee increments until a commission on fee increases, set up by President Jacob Zuma last year, completes its mission.

The ANCYL had called for Nzimande to halt the announcement of the eight percent cap and instead continue with the zero percent arrangement until the commission concludes its work.

"We wish to reiterate our stance that we are in full support of the student's demands. We believe that the demands are genuine and must be listened to," Mkhize said.

He said ANCYL members will march alongside the students over the next few days to press the demand for zero percent fee increases.

"We continue to call for a peaceful march for free education and we condemn the destruction of property and the burning libraries as well as the violence that characterize this process," Mkhize added. Enditem