FINANCE Minister Pravin Gordhan has been added to the ministerial team dealing with the higher education crisis, along with the ministers of communication, human settlements and social development.
The announcement was made at a briefing yesterday following the cabinet's regular fortnightly meeting and comes a week before Gordhan will deliver the medium-term budget policy statement.
Minister in the Presidency Jeff Radebe said: “In appreciation of the magnitude of the challenges in higher education, President Jacob Zuma has further broadened the composition of the ministerial task team with the inclusion of the ministers of communication, human settlements, finance and social development.”
Gordhan’s earlier exclusion from the team, which from the start included the ministers of police, defence and state security, drew wide criticism.
Earlier this week, Gordhan's deputy, Mcebisi Jonas, told MPs he would caution against a “securocratic” approach to the student protest movement that has been shutting down campuses in demand of free higher education.
The cabinet has in recent weeks repeatedly condemned the violence that has marred the #FeesMustFall movement in strong terms.
Radebe said the government called on students to “save the 2016 academic programme”.
If tuition was further interrupted, it would mean that those currently studying could not progress to the next year and the knock-on effect of that would be that universities could not admit this year’s matriculants in 2017, he warned.
“The cabinet welcomes the resumption of classes at many of our universities and urges all students to return to class.
“All stakeholders must do everything in their power and take every step necessary to save the academic programme as the consequences will be dire for the economy, students and matriculants,” said Radebe.