An Ace Up His Sleeve

Free State premier Ace Magashule is incredibly proud of the opportunities his province is giving worthy students – and he says it’s all about paying it forward.

- Kaizer Ngwenya

IT’S one of the burning issues of our time: the call for free tertiary education. Recent protests at campuses across the country proved once again young South Africans want nothing more than to learn without being burdened by debt afterwards.

And it’s not only the crippling fees that are causing complaint. Accommodation, study materials, food, data . . . everything adds up, so many students simply can’t afford to pay.

The recently leaked Heher Commission’s report into free education isn’t doing much to calm frayed tempers. Free tertiary education will just not be possible in the near future, according to recommendations from the commission, headed by retired judge Jonathan Heher.

This issue of education is something that’s close to the heart of Free State premier Ace Magashule. The man seen as a staunch Zuma loyalist isn’t against free education for those who can’t afford it.

“The government must take care of the poor,” he tells DRUM. “It happens in many countries. But it’s based on merit.You can’t always pay for people who are not performing.”

The rich must pay for the education of their children, he believes. “As a premier I must pay for the education of my children because I earn more than R2 million a year,” he says.

Magashule is doing his bit to ensure, in his province, no one is left behind. He could be dead tired from back-to-back ceremonies and events but get him started on the subject and he comes alive.

His dedication hasn’t gone unnoticed. The premier was recently conferred with an honorary PhD by Bahcesehir University in Istanbul for his years of service and dedication to education.