For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Sane Dhlamini.

Making headlines: Nzimande says his department is not in a 'financial position' to clear student debt, SA records 1 006 new cases in SA, death toll rises by 65 and, UCT issue R30-million to assist students with 2020 debt to register

Nzimande says his department is not in a 'financial position' to clear student debt

The higher education department is not in a position to scrap historical student debt, Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation Dr Blade Nzimande said.

He was responding to a list of demands from the South African Union of Students.

The union has vowed to bring all institutions to a standstill through mass protest action at 26 universities.

On Monday morning, students were out on the streets of Johannesburg and outside several campuses across the country from around 06:00.

SA records 1 006 new cases in SA, death toll rises by 65

South Africa recorded 1 006 new Covid-19 infections by Sunday, 14 March, along with 65 new Covid-19-related deaths, taking the death toll to 51 326.

According to a statement by Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize, there were 27 deaths in the Free State, 1 in the Eastern Cape, 12 in Gauteng, 20 in KwaZulu-Natal, and five in the Western Cape.

As of Sunday, the country recorded a total of 1 529 420 confirmed Covid-19 cases.

Gauteng remains the most affected province with 26.8% of the total, which translates to 409 173 cases.

UCT issue R30-million to assist students with 2020 debt to register

The University of Cape Town Council has made available R30-million for students with 2020 debt to be allowed to register in 2021 with immediate effect.     

The student registration fee block in respect of 2020 debt will be lifted for South African students and African students including both undergraduate and postgraduate students, but excluding students from the Graduate School of Business from the rest of Africa. 

Chair of Council, Babalwa Ngonyama said UCT Council remained committed to supporting all such efforts to ensure that academically eligible and deserving students were not denied the opportunity to study owing to lack of funding.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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