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THE Student Representative Council at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg has raised R4 million towards helping students in desperate need of financial assistance to register for the 2021 academic year.
This comes amid student protests by universities across South Africa calling for free education and the cancellation of historic debt.
According to the SRC, 6 000 students at the University of Wits require urgent financial assistance.
“The SRC will allocate money to those who are in need of assistance and those that have been financially excluded by the university,” said SRC president Mpendulo Mfeka.
Mfeka has indicated that the fact that they have raised money does not mean that higher education institutions will see an end to protests.
The South African Union of students has indicated that students will be heading to the Union Buildings on Wednesday, 24 March 2021, to take the fight against financial exclusion to the executive.
This after Minister of Higher Education and Training, Blade Nzimande allegedly failed to pitch for a meeting scheduled for the weekend.
The Wits SRC said it has begun with the allocation of fees to students in need.
“The aim is to raise R21 million and we hope the private and public sector will step in and assist students in need of financial help,” added Mfeka.
- Inside Education
