Mangaung graduate tax will crush young people's spirit

The Democratic Alliance Youth notes that the ANC resolved at Mangaung that consideration "must be given to a graduate tax for all graduates from higher education institutions" as reported on SAPA today (see text of resolution here).

The details are scant at this stage, but any further tax on graduates must be firmly rejected.

An additional tax on working graduates would simply be unfair. It would mean an extra payment on top of their income tax at a time when many are struggling to make ends meet. 

Many students are battling to pay off huge student loans. Student debt in 2009 was around R3 billion and has risen considerably since then.

Under these circumstances, a graduate tax could actively discourage students from entering tertiary level education. Already, there is no guarantee that graduates will get work, with 600,000 graduates currently unemployed.

Instead of a tax, we need a Youth Wage Subsidy to help young people find work when they finish school. We need apprenticeship schemes and good training programmes to help graduates prepare for work.

We must not crush the spirit of young people with taxes. We must give them the opportunities they need to flourish and help build a winning nation.

Statement issued by Makashule Gana, Federal DA Youth Leader, February 7 2013

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