While the Committee accepts that the President needs to apply his mind to the report and engage with the relevant ministers, it would have been ideal if this had happened expeditiously

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, November 1, 2017/APO Group/ -- 

The Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training is concerned about the potential consequences of delays in releasing the Heher Fees Commission report.

The Chairperson of the Committee, Ms Connie September, said that while the Committee accepts that the President needs to apply his mind to the report and engage with the relevant ministers, it would have been ideal if this had happened expeditiously.

“The release of the Heher Commission of Inquiry report into Higher Education funding in the country is a matter of public interest. There now seems to be anxiety and potential unrest as a result of further delays in releasing the report,” Ms September said.

The Committee on Wednesday engaged extensively on the release of the report and resolved to officially write to the Minister to request its release. This is in addition to the Committee’s request to the Minister last week that she facilitates the release of the report.

“It serves no purpose to keep society in suspense over what the Commission found. Also, it is a wrong approach to allow a situation where the report comes in drips, through unnecessary leaks in the media,” Ms September said.

“The release ought to be expeditious so that universities know what and how to budget for the next year. Punctuality will allow them to make informed decisions as to what percentage increase they require for the next year,” she said.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.