Recently, student protests have again erupted at higher education institutions in South Africa. When the original #FeesMustFall protests began in 2015 I was working at the Parliamentary Budget Office and trying to advise members of the finance and appropriations committees as best I could on the proposals being hurriedly drafted by the government. Subsequently, after moving back into academia, I wrote a number of pieces on the issues raised both by the students, the associated public debate, and actual or proposed policy decisions:
“Free higher education in South Africa: cutting through the lies and statistics” https://theconversation.com/free-higher-education-in-south-africa-cutting-through-the-lies-and-statistics-90474
“Options on the table as South Africa wrestles with funding higher education” https://theconversation.com/options-on-the-table-as-south-africa-wrestles-with-funding-higher-education-87688
On the recent protests and apparent policy decisions, these two interviews (radio and television) provide my initial assessment:
Radio: https://iono.fm/e/1008788
Television: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcoOAS03zuY
At present, I am conducting research on some related matters with colleagues from UCT and we hope through that to contribute to deeper understanding of the issues. Our report should be completed by the end of 2021.