31/05/2026
EASTERN CAPE SASCO OFFICIAL STATEMENT ON INTRODUCTION OF APPLICATION FEES
The South African Students Congress (SASCO) Eastern Cape strongly rejects and condemns the decision by Iyunivesithi Walter Sisulu (WS) to introduce a compulsory application fee for prospective students.
This decision is not only insensitive and exclusionary, but it is fundamentally unethical for an institution that has historically positioned itself as an accessible university for poor, working-class, and rural communities. At a time when thousands of young people continue to face severe economic hardship, unemployment, and poverty, imposing an application fee creates an unnecessary financial barrier to higher education and directly undermines the constitutional principle of access to education.
SASCO notes with grave concern that the introduction of a compulsory application fee is a direct contradiction of the Students' Charter, particularly Pillar One: Access to Higher Education and Training. Thousands of learners and prospective students, the majority of whom come from poor and working-class backgrounds, will be negatively affected by this decision. Access to higher education begins at the point of application, and any measure that discourages academically deserving students from applying because they cannot afford a fee is a direct attack on the aspirations of the poor.
The issue before us is not merely about R100. For many families in our communities, this amount represents a significant financial burden. The real struggle is against the continued commodification and privatisation of education. Higher education institutions should not establish revenue-generating schemes at the expense of prospective students who are seeking opportunities to improve their lives through education.
Iyunivesithi Walter Sisulu occupies a significant place in the history and development of the Eastern Cape. The institution has played a vital role in producing graduates and advancing social and economic development within our province. However, we are deeply concerned that the university is increasingly diverting from its historic mission and identity. Established to serve communities that were historically marginalised and denied opportunities under apartheid, the institution now risks becoming less relevant and less responsive to the very communities it claims to serve.
Instead of deepening access and strengthening its developmental mandate, the university is adopting policies that place additional burdens on poor and working-class families. This decision represents a dangerous shift towards the commercialisation of higher education and undermines the progressive values upon which the institution was founded.
While we acknowledge the financial challenges facing institutions of higher learning, these challenges cannot be resolved by transferring the burden onto impoverished households that are already struggling to survive. Universities must remain centres of social development, transformation, and access, rather than profit-driven entities.
We therefore call upon the management and Council of Iyunivesithi Walter Sisulu to immediately reverse this decision and engage all relevant stakeholders, including student formations, organised labour, alumni, and community structures, to explore sustainable alternatives that do not disadvantage prospective students.
SASCO remains committed to the struggle for free, quality, decolonised, inclusive, and accessible higher education. We will utilise all available democratic platforms and avenues of engagement to oppose the introduction of application fees and to defend the rights and interests of poor and working-class students.
Our commitment to protecting the developmental character of our institutions remains unwavering. We will continue working with all stakeholders to ensure that higher education remains a public good accessible to all who seek it.
An injury to one is an injury to all.
Students First, SASCO to the Front!
Issued by:
SASCO Eastern Cape Provincial Executive Committee
