Nairobi - South African President Jacob Zuma was in Nairobi for a state visit on Tuesday, but the questions about the #FeesMustFall student riots in his home country followed him to a joint news conference that he held with his host President Uhuru Kenyatta at the State House in Nairobi.
Zuma was adamant that his government would not pay fees for all South Africans. He said the policy of the ruling African National Congress was very clear, that free education was for the poor and vulnerable, and not the working class who could afford it.
“It will be very difficult to pay, as a government, for a child of a parent who has every means to pay! It would not make sense. And I don’t think there is any government anywhere in the world which will do so,” said Zuma.
“We who have the means must support the system for the benefit of the country. That is what we are saying. That is our position and that is what we are engaging the youth on.”
He also warned the rioting students that even in their “vibrancy” in the agitation for free education; they had to be “responsible” and avoid the destruction of property.
He said his government’s and the ANC’s policy was to open the doors for education to all South Africans, and to ensure that the government gives bursaries to students from poor families and the vulnerable.
“We are not saying that during freedom time everybody must receive free education, even if the parents can afford, because we have got to balance the resources,” said Zuma.
He added his government would honour meetings with the clergy and the students to ensure that the situation was resolved.
His view was that his government was already catering for the vulnerable students in the tertiary institutions.
The student protest began after Minister of Higher Education, Blade Nzimande, announced on September 19, that universities could decide on their own whether to hike the fees for 2017, but should not exceed eight percent.
African News Agency