Question NW165 to the Minister of Higher Education and Training

Reply:

(1) (a) For damages caused by protesting students in the 2015 academic year, an amount of R40.496 million was budgeted as follows: University of Fort Hare (R8 million), University of Zululand (R4.5 million), University of the Western Cape (R25.858 million), Walter Sisulu University (R351 287) and University of Limpopo (R1.786 million). No additional funding was provided to any other university. Some universities have claimed or are in the process of claiming from their insurance or have used their own funds to cover the repairs required.

(b) Government’s contribution for the zero percent fee increase for the 2016 academic year amounted to R1.935 billion and was allocated and paid to universities as indicated in the table below.

 

2016 Zero percent fee increase

University	Government's Contribution (2016) R'000
Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT)	78 489
Central University of Technology (CUT)	22 521
Durban University of Technology (DUT)	49 837
University of Free State (UFS)	56 950
University of Mpumalanga (UMP)	5 055
Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU)	36 400
North West University (NWU)	134 180
University of Pretoria (UP)	132 123
Rhodes University (RU)	42 903
Sol Plaatje University (SPU)	5 340
Stellenbosch University (SU)	79 274
Tshwane University of Technology (TUT)	148 953
University of Cape Town (UCT)	134 572
University of Johannesburg (UJ)	139 868
University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN)	125 000
University of South Africa (UNISA)	202 323
Vaal University of Technology (VUT)	35 095
University of Witwatersrand (WITS)	145 428
University of Fort Hare (UFH)	42 932
University of Limpopo (UL)	46 621
Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT)	39 540
Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU)	23 089
University of Zululand (UNIZULU)	35 050
University of Western Cape (UWC)	56 000
University of Venda (UNIVEN)	33 904
Walter Sisulu University (WSU)	83 933
Grand total	1 935 380

(c) The amount to cover fee increases up to a cap of 8% for students from families with an income of up to R600 000 for the 2017 academic year amounts to R2.460 billion. This was not a zero percent increase. These funds are not in the Department’s budget baseline but has been reprioritised from the National Skills Fund (NSF). Upfront payments to universities amounting to R1.045 billion will be transferred in three equal payments before 31 March 2017. This amount is equal to 50% of the upfront payments that universities received in January 2016 for the 0% fee increase allocation. The balance of the allocation will be paid to universities once the process of identifying missing middle students has been finalised with universities. The transfer of the balance of the funding will only be done upon the receipt of the database of the poor and missing middle cohort (ID, name, student number, 2017 tuition fees, 2017 accommodation fees and fees adjustment) as agreed with the universities. The table below shows the amount to be transferred to each university up to the end of March 2017.

University	Government’s Contribution (2016) R’000	Upfront payment – January – 31 March 2017
		Allocation R’000	2 February 2017 R’000	28 February 2017 R’000	31 March 2017 R’000
Eighteen universities – 50% of 2016 allocation
CPUT	78 489	39 245	13 081	13 081	13 083
CUT	22 521	11 261	3 753	3 753	3 755
DUT	49 837	24 919	8 306	8 306	8 307
UFS	56 950	28 475	9 491	9 491	9 493
UMP	5 055	2 528	842	842	844
NMMU	36 400	18 200	6 066	6 066	6 068
NWU	134 180	67 090	22 363	22 363	22 364
UP	132 123	66 061	22 020	22 020	22 021
RU	42 903	21 452	7 150	7 150	7 152
SPU	5 340	2 670	890	890	890
SU	79 274	39 637	13 212	13 212	13 213
TUT	148 953	74 476	24 825	24 825	24 826
UCT	134 572	67 286	22 428	22 428	22 430
UJ	139 868	69 934	23 311	23 311	23 312
UKZN	125 000	62 500	20 833	20 833	20 834
UNISA	202 323	101 161	33 720	33 720	33 721
VUT	35 095	17 547	5 849	5 849	5 849
WITS	145 428	72 714	24 238	24 238	24 238
Historically Disadvantaged Universities – 75% of 2016 allocation
UFH	42 932	32 199	10 733	10 733	10 733
UL	46 621	34 966	11 655	11 655	11 656
MUT	39 540	29 655	9 885	9 885	9 885
*SMU	23 089	4 500	1 500	1 500	1 500
UNIZULU	35 050	26 288	8 762	8 762	8 764
UWC	56 000	42 000	14 000	14 000	14 000
UNIVEN	33 904	25 428	8 476	8 476	8 476
WSU	83 933	62 950	20 983	20 983	20 984
GRAND TOTAL	1 935 380	1 045 142	348 372	348 372	348 398

*SMU had a 0% fee increase, however an allocation was made for the increase in their residence fee.

(2) All amounts indicated for each university for damages caused by protesting students and the zero percent fee increase for 2016 have been transferred. For the fee increases for students from a family with an income of up to R600 000 for the 2017 academic year, R352.652 million was released at the end of January 2017 and the other two equal tranches will be released at the end of February and March 2017. The balance of the allocation will be paid to universities once the process to identify missing middle students has been finalised as per the process map and the quantum of funding per university is officially communicated to the Department.

COMPILER/CONTACT PERSONS:

EXT:

DIRECTOR – GENERAL

STATUS:

DATE:

QUESTION 165 APPROVED/NOT APPROVED/AMENDED

Dr BE NZIMANDE, MP

MINISTER OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND TRAINING

STATUS:

DATE: