The appeal was made by student leaders at the memorial service of Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) student activist Benjamin Phehla, who died after he was hit by a car during protests.

“The R17 billion over the medium-term to fund higher education announced in the medium-term budget policy statement (MTBPS) by Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan [this week] is a guarantee that should persuade students that there is commitment to address their legitimate cause,” Sanco national spokesman Jabu Mahlangu said in a statement.

“The destruction of higher education institutions which are critical to prepare our future leaders is thus undesirable.”

Mahlangu said the suspension of face-to-face contact classes at some universities signaled that management at some of them had been overwhelmed by the crisis, which was beginning to get out of hand with the destruction of university infrastructure, private property, and in some instances, carried to extremes with deliberate humiliation and abuse of vice chancellors.

“Admission opportunities for new students might be constrained if the current academic year is not salvaged.”

He called on university students, as future leaders, to advance the legacy of Oliver Tambo and to emulate his quest for knowledge.

ANA