Violent protest action at institutions of higher learning has cost R800 million
8 August 2018
Institutions of higher learning have suffered nearly R800 million in protest damage in the past three financial years alone. This was confirmed by Minister of Higher Education and Training, Naledi Pandor, in 2 detailed replies to DA parliamentary questions.
This is not even the full cost of this period, as Universities and Colleges have also had to bear the costs of extra security, repeat classes and exams, and many others, while many students have lost considerable study time as a result of long closures of their campuses.
Campus protest is not new - in fact over several decades student protests have been characterised by destruction of property, intimidation and clashes with security providers.
The surprise announcement of expanded funding in December last year did nothing to halt the damage. It was hasty and ill considered. As a result the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has been unable to cope with a flood of extra applications and qualifying students, with tens of thousands having not yet received their funding over half way through the academic year. And so the protests have grown rather than subsided during 2018.