The Democratic Alliance said it had submitted an application to the Presidency in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act to access the report of the Commission of Inquiry into Higher Education (the Fees Commission).
DA MP, Belinda Bozzoli, said this followed their numerous appeals to the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, the new Minister and the President himself to release the report.
“It is urgent and imperative that the public see this report immediately. There are now multiple disturbing rumours in circulation which indicate that the President may have "gone rogue" and "done a Trump", Bozzoli said.
“Rumours reported in the City Press, Sunday Times and Mail and Guardian have it that he has set his sights on a path of ignoring the multimillion-rand report's cautious and considered findings.”
She said it has been over two months since the President received the report on 31 August and it is inconceivable that he should hold on to it this long.
“1.7m University and TVET students, and their parents are in considerable distress, uncertain about financing the start of the 2018 academic year which is just two months away,” said Bozzoli.
Meanwhile, the Presidency said that President Jacob Zuma has denied media reports that he had intended to announce free tertiary education in his state-of-the-nation address (Sona) in February but was blocked by the National Treasury.
“The story in the Sunday Times newspaper reporting that President Jacob Zuma was planning to announce free education in the state-of-the-nation address in February this year and was stopped by the National Treasury is a fabrication,”
Zuma never planned to make such an announcement. The thrust of Sona 2017 was “radical economic transformation” flowing from the African National Congress’s January 8 statement and the cabinet and governing party makgotla, he said.
Zuma had appointed a commission of inquiry into higher education funding headed by Judge John Heher. Zuma waited for the commission to conclude its business. At no stage did he plan to make any announcements that would undermine the work of the commission, Ngqulunga said.
Zuma had tasked the inter-ministerial committee on higher education funding headed by Minister in the Presidency Jeff Radebe and the presidential fiscal committee to process the Heher Commission report and advise him on how to respond to the content thereof.
“Any action going forward will result from careful consideration by relevant structures in government,” Ngqulunga said.
