ATM calls for the scrapping of varsity application fees following the R200 Wits fiasco

Johnathan Paoli

THE African Transformation Movement has called upon universities to scrap application fees for an inclusive access to education.

In a statement on Monday, the party said that it stood at the forefront of advocating for equitable access to education for all South Africans and that the ATM commended those institutions such as the University of the Free State for taking a step in the scrapping of application fees entirely, thus reinforcing the principle of education being a beacon of accessibility.

“It has come to our attention that institutions like the University of the Witwatersrand, receiving a staggering 140 000 applications, each valued at R200, accumulates a substantial R28 000 000, and questions the rationale behind such fees and seeks transparency regarding the allocation and utilisation of these funds,” the party said.

The party said that in light of the poverty of the country, where even a modest amount