The ”crisis” caused by proposed fee hikes at two Johannesburg universities this month should be handled by the national Ministry of Education, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) said on Tuesday.
”We urge the Ministry of Education to intervene in the current negotiations at the University of Johannesburg [UJ] and Wits,” Cosatu spokesperson Patrick Craven said.
He said such intervention would expedite the process as the ministry had people with the skills required for the negotiations.
It is the second week since studies at all campuses of UJ have been halted due to protests by students following the university council’s announcement that fee increases of up to 14% were being considered for next year.
Students disagreed and took to the streets to protest the decision. They proposed an 8% increase instead.
”We fully support the protests by students against these fee increases and agree that the students are right in rejecting them,” Craven said.
He said the government should regulate higher education fees and provide merit state allowances and scholarships based on financial need and academic achievement.
”We are deeply concerned at the escalating costs of higher education and are fully behind the minister of education [Naledi Pandor] that fee increases should be kept as low as possible,” he said.
Craven said Cosatu condemned the police ”brutality” against the protesting students. — Sapa