Safety and Security at Institutions must be improved by Higher Education department

The DA is calling on the Department of Higher Education, Science and Innovation to put measures in place to insure that universities and TVET sodalities have acceptable morals and norms for safety and security. This will help in icing the safety of both scholars and staff and check gender- grounded violence in universities and TVET sodalities.

The Department has lately indicated that there will be an perpetration plan for the phased rollout of the Safety and Security minimal morals and norms at TVET sodalities which will be approved by the Minister of Higher Education, Blade Nzimande, by 30 June 2023. The Department has also indicated that there will be a report on the perpetration of the Safety and Security minimal morals and norms in named universities and TVET sodalities which will be approved by him.

It’s deeply concerning that the Department has decided to rise the perpetration of Safety and Security minimal morals and norms only in named universities and TVET sodalities, rather of rolling it out in all universities and TVET sodalities, including all the institutions falling under thePost-School Education and Training system. With the fourth quarter crime statistics indicating a disquieting trend in rising violence, the Department has to insure that institutions of advanced literacy are safe spaces for scholars and staff. There shouldn’t be violence in these institutions and cases like the woeful payoff of the UWC pupil, Kamva Dasi, must be averted.

The DA in the portfolio commission on advanced education, wisdom and invention will be submitting the ensuing administrative questions to the Minister

Why won’t all universities and TVET sodalities be enforcing the Safety and Security minimal morals and norms?

How numerous TVET sodalities will be named to apply the Safety and Security minimal morals and norms and what’s the criteria that will be used to elect these TVET sodalities?
Given the rising situations of gender- grounded violence and other crimes in institutions of advanced literacy and training, why is the Department postponing the full perpetration of Safety and Security minimal morals and norms to the2024/25 fiscal time?

What’s the Department doing presently to insure the safety and security of scholars and staff in institutions of advanced literacy and training across the country?

The DA will continue to fight for advanced safety and security in institutions of advanced education and training. We’ll continue to put pressure on the Department to insure there are acceptable safety and security measures in place in these institutions.