Lamola: Force companies to invest R1bn a year

FORMER ANC Youth League deputy president Ronald Lamola has urged the state to force listed companies to invest at least R1-billion every year to fund free education, saying they were the biggest beneficiaries of the education system.

“No country can prosper without investing in its youth. The private sector must come to the party. The private sector is making billions of rands from resources of the country and it must not only be a burden of government,” he said.

Delivering the Winnie Mandela Memorial Lecture at the Walter Sisulu University in Mthatha on Satu Lamola said the private sector should commit more than R1-billion each year.

“All companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange can be forced to pay for free education. They are the biggest beneficiaries when it comes to education,” he added.

He said contrary to what many believe, the #FeesMustFall movement, which has seen university students across the country engage in protests demanding free education, their struggle was legitimate

“It’s not only about free education but the quality of education they will receive and the infrastructure in these universities.

“In a historically disadvantaged institution like WSU, you must be able to see the same level of infrastructure that you see at Wits University. How will WSU compete with Wits if it doesn’t have the same level of infrastructure?”

The other source of fund for free education, Lamola proposed, is to add a special levy for exporting minerals. “We can get lots of money which can be used towards free education. If you can bail out South African Airways for R5-billion, why not bail out students?”

Lamola also warned students not to rely on former political prisoners who served time in places like Robben Island to champion their cause.

“We must not allow those who went to exile or Robben Island to come back and destroy what they fought for,” said Lamola.

He referred the students to the Freedom Charter, the ANC’s guiding document crafted and adopted in 1956. Clause 8 states: “Education shall be free, compulsory, universal and equal for all children.”

Lamola said it was not a mistake that the Charter stated categorically that education shall be free, and so it must be free. “You must not be apologetic about your actions. Some old people have accepted the status quo,” he said.

He also urged students to follow the example of Mandela, who despite her then-husband Nelson Mandela being jailed, never gave up on the struggle for freedom.