South Africa’s Higher Education, Science, and Innovation Minister, Blade Nzimande has condemned the destruction of university properties across the country, saying the bill for repairs in 2020 came to R1.2 million.
According to Nzimande, most of the repairs were necessitated by the wreck linked to demonstrations at universities.
A recent damage to fire extinguishers and fire hoses at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology will cost R250,000 to repair. The University of Johannesburg (UJ) estimates R202,826.30 for repairs while the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) reported a cost of R27,388,914.
The damage on properties in the Central University of Technology (CUT) will cost R1.4 million in repairs in 2020. The Sefako Makgatho University equally has a R30,000 of repairs in the same period.
Nzimande in a statement on Friday said “None of these acts and massive losses incurred could be justified or associated with any legitimate forms of protest and should be condemned unequivocally,”
He further stated that the destruction of university properties and public utilities is a criminal offence and all those involved in such acts must be apprehended by law enforcement agencies and made to face the full wrath of the law.