Students express hopes on Gordhan submission on free higher education
Some student leaders say Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan must dispel the myth that the fiscus cannot afford free higher education for all when he makes his presentation to the fees commission. Shaheed Mohamed‚ secretary of the Workers International Vanguard League‚ which made its submissions in Cape Town last year‚ said it was "an insult to students" to be told their government cannot invest in their future. He said there were mechanisms to make higher education free for all‚ such as increasing company tax. "During apartheid, company tax was 43% and companies were willing to pay this to the atrocious apartheid regime. Our government reduced this to 28%. If this could be increased to 38%‚ the companies will still make a huge profit and fund free tertiary education for all‚" Mohamed said. He said the excuse that "free for all" education would be subsidising the rich was invalid because what the rich did not pay in tertiary fees they would pay in tax. Zuma established the commission in...
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