In the wake of the recent elections, African National Congress (ANC) President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for a Government of National Unity (GNU). This new coalition includes ten diverse parties: ANC, DA, Patriotic Alliance, Inkatha Freedom Party, GOOD, Pan Africanist Congress of Azania, Vryheidsfront Plus, United Democratic Movement, Rise Mzansi, and Al Jama-ah.
With such a wide range of policy positions, negotiations and compromises are expected to shape the government's direction.
Following the formation of the GNU, President Ramaphosa faced the task of assembling a cabinet. Despite previous statements advocating for a leaner and more cost-effective cabinet, the President unveiled the largest national executive in South Africa's history.
This new cabinet comprises 75 ministers and their deputies, representing eleven coalition parties, surpassing the previous record set during Jacob Zuma’s presidency a decade ago.
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) Student Command has sharply criticized this move, accusing Ramaphosa of betraying principles of good governance.
Their criticism extends to the reappointment of Blade Nzimande, whose prior tenure as Higher Education Minister was marked by significant challenges. According to the EFF Student Command, Nzimande failed to address financial barriers in higher education, and his leadership saw persistent mismanagement and inefficiencies within the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS).
Dr. Blade Nzimande failed to adequately address the financial barriers, further entrenching the structural inaccessibility of Higher Education in South Africa.
The EFF Student Command argues that these issues have perpetuated structural inaccessibility for many South African students. They are particularly concerned about the ANC and DA partnership, citing the DA’s historical opposition to transformative and pro-poor policies in higher education.
They fear that the DA’s proposals to replace NSFAS with a loan scheme would burden students with debt, leading to long-term economic dependency. This, they argue, would enable the financial services sector to exploit the poor, trapping them in a cycle of debt.
The unholy Grand Coalition of the ANC and the DA is going to be felt most by the students of South Africa. The DA has made it very clear, on many public appearances, that it does not agree with the many transformative and pro-poor policies in Higher Education.
The new cabinet's approach to higher education and NSFAS will be closely watched, as it has significant implications for students across South Africa.
The ongoing debate highlights the critical need for policies that enhance accessibility and affordability in higher education, ensuring that financial barriers do not hinder the academic and professional aspirations of young South Africans.
