IFP Youth Brigade welcomes the removal of Dr. Blade Nzimande as Minister of Higher Education in South Africa. 

Having long called for his removal, it is against this background, that we view this decision as a victory for our country's entire student populace. 

Since he first took office as Minister of Higher Education and Training in 2009 to 2017 and his subsequent appointment in 2019, the department faced numerous challenges, including but not limited to: rising tuition fees, increased outstanding student debt, disruption of the distribution of student funds, and a continued failure to lead a department that works for students rather than against them.

Furthermore, the IFP Youth Brigade welcomes the decision to separate the Department of Higher Education from Science and Technology, will allow its leader to firmly focus on the issues facing the department. 

We welcome the appointment of the Honourable, Dr. Nobuhle P. Nkabane, MP as the new Minister of Higher Education. 

We are hopeful that the experience she gained as a student at various universities, and her ability to create a platform for continued engagement will assist the minister in bringing much-needed change to the department.

As a matter of urgency, we call on Minister Nkabane to finalise the termination of the contracts between NSFAS, Ezaga Holdings, Coinvest Africa, Narraco Corporation, and Tenet Technologies. 

Their inability to efficiently distribute student allowances is well documented and has caused mass hysteria and mayhem among recipients awaiting their allotted funding. 

As it stands, the uncertainty around how students' allowances will be distributed moving forward must be swiftly addressed. 

We urge the department to consider returning this responsibility back to the institutions of higher learning with increased accountability measures for the allowances. 

The IFP Youth Brigade and our SADESMO structures at campuses implore the Minister to turnaround this department, as millions of students can no longer afford a department that is perpetually in a crisis. 

We cannot continue to watch as the department fails to properly guide NSFAS or to develop strategies to resolve student issues, particularly the issue of lack of student accommodation in previously disadvantaged universities.

We pledge to contribute positively to the rebuilding of the department, and we wish the Minister well in her tenure at the Department. 

IFP Youth Brigade National Chairperson Sanele Zondo