JZ confirms help for poor students

PRESIDENT Jacob Zuma’s January 8 statement made no new announcements on how to turn the economy around — it only reemphasised programmes already in place.

It was anticipated that the statement, believed to be his last as ANC president, would have contained concrete measures to bolster economic growth which stood at below one percent.

Low economic growth brought unemployment to a crushing 27%.

Buoyed by rising commodity prices, Zuma expressed confidence that the mining sector would see the economy rebound and create much needed jobs.

“We are encouraged by the recent rise in commodity prices and are relatively confident that our mining sector will begin to show an improvement in the near future. The ANC expects to see an increase in production and growth in job creation,” said Zuma.

He vowed government would ensure mining communities benefited from the mining sector.

Zuma recommitted the ANC to the ongoing independent power producer programme, vowing to expand renewal energy capacity.

After a year of persistent protests over escalating university fees, Zuma was at pains to mention government would cushion new university entrants from poor families for the 2017 academic year.

“The provision of a fully subsidised free university education for new university entrants from poor and working class families in 2017 is expected to cost the state slightly less than R6billion.” This comes after Minister of Higher Education and Training, Blade Ndzimande, last year announced that the National Student Financial Aid Scheme would cover students from families who earn up to R600 000 a year.

A presidential commission of inquiry is still looking into the feasibility of rolling out free university education as demanded by the #FeesMustFall movement.