Max du Preez is a name that needs no introduction, his columns having proven increasingly popular over the years. Now Max has weighed in on the student protests causing universities to grind to a halt across the country, saving some stinging criticism for a certain political party.
Along with stressing the need for South Africans to bear with the protesters, Max stating that previous peaceful efforts and petitions having been discarded with no policy change, he also spoke about some lavish lifestyles by those up top.
Below are some excerpts from his News24 piece:
What did upset me of the events of the last few days was that the students at Wits and elsewhere were directing their anger at the wrong address.
They blame the vice-chancellor and university council for everything, but it was the ANC government that had decreased the budget for students over the last few years relative to inflation and the huge increase in student numbers.
The apparent leader of the protest at Wits – not a member of the SRC, mind you – was wearing ANC regalia. On Sunday we watched President Jacob Zuma express his moist-eyed sympathy with students. On Monday the ANC spindoctor, Zizi Kodwa, joined students at Wits and told the media how cruel it was to exclude poor students from universities. The minister of Higher Education, Blade Nzimande, said virtually nothing but talked about controlling the university fees.
The poor vice-chancellor, who has to ensure the highest possible standard of education with the money he’s been given, is now the pig in the tale.
That was blatant opportunism and dishonesty. Nzimande was warned last year and the year before that his budget for universities fell woefully short.
If Zuma and Nzimande’s government were less corrupt and ineffective and spent less money on self-enrichment and vanity projects, we would have been able to offer tertiary education at very low costs. (Nzimande spent R1.1m of taxpayer money on a car not too long ago…)
It is a good development that South African students are awakening from their slumber of more than two decades. We as a society need their activism.
President Jacob Zuma couldn’t be reached for comment, although he promised to try and reduce student fees by eleventy five percent.
[source:news24]
