Cosas Wants JSE to”Share the Wealth”, Demands R10 Bn for Poor University Students

• The Congress of South African students marched to the Johannesburg Stock Exchange on Friday demanding R10 billion
• The student organisation wants these companies to do more for the graduates who will one day become invaluable assets to their business
• If successful, the cash injection will be used to pay off first-year registration fees and the application fees of other learners

The Congress of South African Students(Cosas) are demanding more financial support from the private sector. On Friday, the student organisation marched to the Johannesburg Stock Exchange(JSE) in Sandton to hand over a memorandum demanding R10 billion.

If successful, the student organisation says the money will be used for first-year registration fees in 2022 and university application fees in 2023.

Speaking to IOL, Cosas secretary-general Tebogo Magafane emphasised the plight of disadvantaged students who qualified for university but could not afford the application fees. He argued that businesses are beneficiaries of these future graduates and should therefore be more hands-on about ensuring these students receive a quality education.

Read also

Halala: South Africa’s correctional services 2021 matriculants score 89.83% pass rate

They are also calling for learners from grades 10-12 to be incorporated into companies listed on JSE as a practical way of upskilling the youth and exposing them to the world of business, EWN reports.

SA dismayed after learner killed while waiting for matric results in Maritzburg

In more education news, Briefly News previously reported that shockwaves rippled across an area of Pietermaritzburg in the early hours of Friday morning after a matriculant was allegedly shot and killed while waiting for his matric results.

The incident reportedly happened after 1 am when a group of five men allegedly attempted to rob the 20-year-old learner at a petrol station situated on Alexandra Road. He was in the presence of others who'd scurried to buy newspapers with the published 2021 National Senior Certificate (NSC) exam results.

Read also

Learners mourn the death of deputy principal who was gunned down outside school

According to News24, the murder, which police have since confirmed, happened in full view of anxious pupils and community members who'd also gathered to get newspapers.

KZN provincial police spokesperson Colonel Thembeka Mbele said when police arrived, the learner was unresponsive as he lay in a pool of blood. He had a gunshot wound to the head and on one of his arms.

"While pupils purchased newspapers to get their matric results, a group of about five men accosted them. One of them attempted to rob the victim, who refused to give up his cellphone, leading to the suspect retaliating and fatally shooting him," said Mbele.

Random act of violence

Afterwards, the suspects fled the scene in [an unidentified] vehicle. Police are investigating a case of murder after a docket was opened at Alexandra Road SAPS. Meanwhile, two learners were stabbed to death outside the JG Zuma High School in nearby Inanda on Tuesday.

IOL reported the Grade 9 and Grade 11 learners from Kusasalethu and JG Zuma schools, respectively, entered into a scuffle after an argument over stationery. Things escalated, and a knife was pulled out, resulting in one of them sustaining a stab wound.

Source: Briefly News