EFFSC statement on R580 million returned to National Treasury by the Department of Higher Education
23 July 2024
The Economic Freedom Fighters Students' Command (EFFSC) strongly condemns the Department of Higher Education (DHE) for failing to spend Five Hundred and Eighty Million Rand (580M), leading to it being returned to the National Treasury. This unthinkable and irrational act takes place while thousands of students continue to struggle with access to higher education because of the lack of funding.
This confirms our long-held view that the government of the African National Congress (ANC) has not only failed the youth of South Africa but is also actively and deliberately sabotaging the development of our nation. This has become a trend in many departments led by incompetent and dishonest administrators who are obsessed with manipulating audit outcomes at the expense of delivering services to our people.
Among these departments is the Department of Higher Education (DHE) which chose not to utilise its full budget to the detriment of the students of South Africa. To date the post-secondary sector is unable to absorb all learners who pass matric (Grade 12) due to lack of space and not enough institutions, yet we have a department that can return over Five Hundred and Eighty Million (580M) to National Treasury.
Student accommodation, by the department own admission, continues to be a thorn in the sector as thousands of students suffer year in and year our due to the shortage of beds, yet we have a department that fails to utilise all resources at its disposal.