Chairperson, that is a very important question. However, the difficulty in answering it now is that we do not know what the recommendations of that ministerial committee will be. From the government's point of view, we would like to introduce measures as soon as is practically possible.
We might find that some of the recommendations require some preparatory work or might have some budgetary implications that we might have to prepare for. But on our side we are committed to implementing as soon as possible measures for improvement that are needed in order to realise the goal of ensuring that every deserving student who is poor is able to access higher education.
UMBHEXESHI OYINTLOKO WEBHUNGA: Mphathiswa ndiyabulela ngale mpendulo. Ndiyayiva le ngcaciso yesibini, kodwa ndiyafuna ukuba undiphendule okanye uyithathe njengesiphakamiso. Kukho amakhaya apho abantu bexhomekeke kule mali yendodla kuphela, akukho yimbi. Kwaye eyona mali incinci yobhaliso kwezi yunivesithi, xa ndicinga mna, ngama-R3 000. Mhlawumbi ingabe ilungile kum kodwa la makhaya angenanto akasoze abenawo ama-R3 000 okungena esikolweni, ezinye izinto ezinjengoo-NFSAS zilandela oko kungena. (Translation of isiXhosa paragraph follows.)
[The CHIEF WHIP OF THE COUNCIL: I thank you, Minister, for this response. I understand the second explanation, but I would like you to respond to me, or rather, consider this as a proposal. There are families that depend solely on pension grants, and there are no other sources of income. And, the minimum registration fee at universities, I think, is R3 000. I may not have a problem with that, but disadvantaged families may not have R3 000 for registration. Other things, like the NFSAS, follow after registration only.]
UNGQONGQOSHE WEMFUNDO EPHAKEME KANYE NOKUQEQESHA: Ngibonga kakhulu sisi. Lo mbuzo wakho ubalulekile ngoba lokho ngezinye zezinto engethemba ukuthi lelikomidi lizosicushisa kuzona ukuthi senzenjani. Ngoba uzothola ukuthi abanye abantwana bavinjwa wukuthi - njengoba usho nje - awukho lo-R3000 noma u-R4000 ofuneka phambili. Kodwa abantwana bebe bengakwazi ukuthi basebenze baphase. Ngenye yezinto leyo esizoyibuka. Kukhona futhi enye into engifisa ukuthi nginethembise yona, uma ngibuyela kuloya mbuzo obukade ubuziwe ekuqaleni okhuluma ngokuthi sisho isikhathi sokuthi sizoyenza nini le nto.
Ukuthi ngokwethu sifisa ukuthi uma uphuma lo mbiko walolu phenyo siwulethe nalapha kule Ndlu, siwuhambise nangale eNdlini Yesishayamthetho, siwukhiphele emphakathini ukuze sikwazi ukuthi sithole izincomo zokuthi abantu bakithi bayibona kanjani le nto.
Enye into yokugcina nje, noma ungayibuzanga, kodwa ngithi Sihlalo, ngemvume yakho angiyisho: ayiqali lapha empeleni inkathazo yemali kubantwana abantulayo, iqala nje besafaka izicelo zokwamukelwa. Uthola ukuthi umtwana ufaka izicelo zokwamukelwa emanyuvesi mhlawumbe angaba yisikhombisa noma ayisishiyagalombili, kuthi leyo naleyo nyuvesi ifune imali yokufaka isicelo eyaziwa nge-Application Fee. Bese uthola ukuthi umtwana ugcina esebenzise u- R700 ukuya ku-R800 efaka izicelo kule nyuvesi nakuleya nyuvesi.
Into esifuna ukuyenza-ke isifundazwe saKwaZulu-Natali sesiyayenza le nto - sifuna ukuyenza manje kuzwelonke ukuthi uma ufuna ukuya enyuvesi kufanele ufake isicelo endaweni eyodwa kuphela bese bona bathatha uhlu lamagama abantwana abafake izicelo bawahambise e manyuvesi ukuthi naba abantwana abafuna ukufunda. Sifuna ukwenza le nto kuzwelonke ukuthi uma umntwana efuna ukuya enyuvesi, yinye kuphela indawo ekufanele afake kuyona isicelo bese ekhokha leyo madlana encane kuleyo ndawo bese kubhekwa-ke ukuthi iyiphi inyuvesi noma ikolishi elingakwazi ukumthatha. Ngiyabonga.