Educat­ion fees have been one of the most conten­tious subjec­ts during Zuma's presid­encyJOHANNESBURG: South African President Jacob Zuma on Saturday promised free higher education for most students, hours before the start of an ANC party conference to choose his successor as party chief. Education fees have been one of the most contentious subjects during Zuma’s presidency, with violent demonstrations erupting at campuses across the country by students demanding free education. The announcement on free education could boost support in the tight leadership battle for Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, his former wife and apparent chosen successor. Like Zimbabwe, South Africa needs leadership change, says top ANC official“Government will now introduce fully subsidised free higher education and training for poor and working-class South African undergraduate students, starting in 2018,” Zuma said in a statement. “This policy intervention will enable government to extend fully subsidised free higher education to youth from well over 90 per cent of South African households.”South Africa’s economy has struggled in recent years, and Zuma gave no details how the plan would be funded.

Source: The Express Tribune December 16, 2017 08:48 UTC