CPUT announces 8% increase for rich students

7 October 2016

Cape Town - Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) Vice Chancellor Dr Prince Nevhutalu on Friday announced an 8% increase in fees for 2017 for the 10% of students who can afford it.

The other 90%, he told an assembly of stakeholders at CPUT's Bellville campus, are students who either have NSFAS loans or fall in the "missing middle" bracket; students whose parents earn less than R600 000 a year.

The government will subsidise the increase for these students, he said.

"We have to be logical. If we had said 0% increase, there would be no subsidisation from government for any students, rich or poor," Nevhutalu said.

"Eight percent is still not enough but given time and space we can increase our income."

An 8% increase ensures that funds for a fee increase for 90% of students will still flow into the university's coffers. The university will run a R94m deficit under this model, he said.

The other 10%, about 3000 students, will contribute R26m for the 2017 school year.

Nevhutalu also said the university was looking at increasing salaries of cleaners and gardening staff to R5 000 a month.

He said the university Council told management to investigate the possibility for outsourced and insourced staff.

'Not a proper council'

A #FeesMustFall student leader Vuyani Moerane had complaints over the meeting on Friday, telling the crowd that the meeting was not a full student assembly.

"Whoever organised this couldn't even provide transport for Cape Town campus students."

He said the students wanted the university council to be involved in the negotiations, and not "useless" people like Vice Chancellors.

"If they do not, we want them to resign," he said.

He said a full assembly should take place at CPUT's Cape Town campus on Saturday.

He also praised the students for being disciplined and peaceful, and told private security to leave them alone.

This article first appeared on News24, see here.