African News Agency
The DA accused the government on Wednesday of wasting nearly a billion rand that could help fund the scrapping of university fee increases by rejecting the opposition’s calls for amendments to the adjusted budget.
“Today, the African National Congress effectively gave the middle finger to poor students by voting against 26 proposed amendments to the adjusted budget, which would have made available R904 million to fund the shortfall resulting from the zero-percent student fees increase, in the 2015/16 financial year,” DA finance spokesman David Maynier said.
He said instead the budget review and recommendation reports approved by the legislature will see R720 million more flow towards South Africa’s diplomatic missions abroad, another R70 million will be spent on VIP protection and R1.25 million for a new car for the minister of health.
“When it comes to a choice between more money for students or more money for ministers, the ANC chose more money for ministers.”
A month after President Jacob Zuma announced, amid nationwide student protests, that there would be no fee increases next year, the exact extent of the funding gap this will create and how it will be bridged remains unclear.
It has been estimated at R2.3bn and senior officials have warned that the department of higher education could contribute no more than R300 million.