Busa participating in Nedlac committee deciding on free education protest

11th November 2016

By: Sane Dhlamini

Creamer Media Senior Contributing Editor and Researcher

  

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Business Unity South Africa (Busa) will be part of the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac) committee that is dealing with the Congress of South African Trade Unions’ (Cosatu’s) section 77 notice, which calls for national protest action demanding free education.

Nedlac has scheduled a third stakeholder meeting for November 14, 2016, to deliberate on Cosatu’s application. 

Busa said in a statement that it welcomed the opportunity afforded by the application for Nedlac to engage with social partners and key constituents on the higher education issues facing the country.

Recent demonstrations over the cost of university education – which is prohibitive for many black students – have highlighted frustration at enduring inequalities in Africa’s most industrialised country more than two decades after the end of apartheid.

The business body called on all social partners to use the process to seek sustainable solutions for funding higher education to meet the needs of an inclusive economy.

It also supported the call for the timeous conclusion of the 2016 academic year and reiterated the importance of the 2017 academic year commencing on time to create the necessary confidence in the country’s higher education institutions to produce skilled graduates and quality research. 
 
“We share with our social partners the urgent need to safeguard our higher education institutions [as well as the safety of] all those that work and learn there and condemn violent protests threatening the lives of citizens, public and private property and operations of our public institutions,” Busa said in a statement.
 
Busa also said it was committed to working with government, which includes the Fees Commission, the Ministerial Task Team, the  National Student Financial Aid Scheme, budget reprioritization and the Skills Education Training Authorities landscape. It would also work with social partners as part of a broader consultation on higher education.

“This should be aimed at short-term interventions to address current challenges, as well as activating a longer-term higher education vision for the country. We urge that all these interventions take place together with leadership in government, labour, business and community under the auspices of Nedlac so that we can find lasting solutions for all.”
 

Edited by Sashnee Moodley
Senior Deputy Editor Polity and Multimedia

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