Tshwane – Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande on Thursday cautioned that a repeat of the 2016 chaos which engulfed South African institution of tertiary education will have a devastating, long term effect, particularly on poor students.
"The casualties will be the poor and working class students, whilst students from the middle and upper class families will opt for private provision or studying abroad. Experienced academics frustrated with the chaos in the public sector will also be attracted abroad or to a more stable and better paying private sector," said Nzimande at a media briefing in Pretoria.
"This means that those student leaders and organisations genuinely concerned about access and affordability should maintain high levels of vigilance, as there are opportunists in their midst, ready to hijack their noble cause."
Nzimande said what started off as genuine students' protests for free education, has been hijacked by political and financial interests which have shown "a darker side".
"A variety of vested financial and political interests have also entered the scene, essentially hoping to reap benefits from these demands. For instance, we have noted with deep concern how individuals with vested political and ideological interests have managed to turn what was essentially a peaceful student led, intersectional struggle into one characterised by violence and anarchy," he said.
"It is also becoming more evident that some business interests are looking on with glee at what they hope will signal the collapse of the public higher education system. The expectation is that the current crisis will drive quality and confidence in the public system to the point where scores will seek refuge in more stable and reliable private institutions."
President Jacob Zuma last year established a commission of inquiry into the feasibility of free education demanded by students, following countrywide violent protests on university and college campuses under the #FeesMustFall banner.
Several campuses were shut down and the protest leaders have been threatening to resume the protests in 2017.
In November, Zuma announced he had received an interim report from the commission on higher education chaired by Judge Jonathan Heher.
The commission was originally given eight months to complete its work, but the deadline was later extended to June 30, 2017.
On Thursday, Nzimande appealed to students to await the recommendations of the Heher inquiry, which must come up with a long term solution to the fees crisis.
"We must again underline that there are national processes in place designed to identify a long term solution to the question of university funding and fees. The presidential commission will report this year, and we urge all stakeholders to co-operate with this important process and give space to the finalisation of this matter," said Nzimande.