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Tomorrow evening I will be meeting with Professor Adam Habib, Chairperson of Universities South Africa (formerly Higher Education South Africa), and Dr Ahmed Bawa, CEO of Universities South Africa and Chairman of its Finance and Investment Committee, in order to address, among other things, the funding crisis that has shut down the country’s universities, the small group of students who have destroyed property and intimidated other students; and the conduct of police and private security.

An invitation to this meeting has also been extended to leaders of other opposition parties, with leaders from the EFF, UDM, COPE, IFP, FF+, ACDP and AGANG having confirmed their attendance already. While the students are not mobilising under party banners, we cannot ignore the fact that many of the students belong to the student structures of the country’s political parties, which we as party leaders are responsible for.

The crisis that has gripped the country’s higher education institutions requires society as a whole to work together in order to find workable solutions for the short and long-term so that no student is excluded from completing their tertiary qualification due to their financial circumstances.

It cannot be business as usual while the country’s higher education campuses burn and the futures of thousands of students are compromised. Action is needed to ensure that our campuses reopen as soon as possible, that teaching and learning resumes, and that students complete the 2016 academic year.

Issued by DA