The ANC in Gauteng says one of the ways that tackling the rising lack of student accommodation for higher education students can be fast-tracked is if the provincial government releases land and property it owns.

This would be through a rapid land release programme, the subcommittee on education, health and science and technology said in a statement on Wednesday.

Its chairperson, Bandile Masuku, said this was one of the recommendations made by the subcommittee during its ordinary meeting on Sunday. With this recommendation was a suggestion that a formal unit be created within provincial government whose mandate would be to deal with issues affecting students to ensure that they are resolved.

"Given that we are a province that has a high concentration of tertiary institutions it makes more sense to have a dedicated focus on this sector so that students spend most of their time concerned about knowing their subject matter than anything else," Masuku said.

The committee said it remained committed to continuing with engagements with students, vice-chancellors and government to ensure that their issues were permanently dealt with.

Masuku said the committee commended the provincial government on its commitment to providing top primary and high school infrastructure through its commitment to opening one new school per week in two months.

However, of concern to them was the increase in incidents of theft and vandalism and sexual assaults of pupils at schools.

The committee resolved to launch a provincial school safety campaign focusing on vandalism and theft of property, and the safety of pupils and teachers as well as to look at ways of providing better support to affected pupils and families in sexual harassment cases particularly.

The committee was also concerned about the non-payment of community service as well as intern doctors and nurses.

"The subcommittee expressed its support for the cancelling of labour brokering and was adamant that no health worker should be unemployed in Gauteng. It will be undertaking roadshows with Cosatu to resolve and support efforts of health workers at the frontline."