Zuma: No plans to announce free education programme

South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma has no plans to announce a programme for free higher education until he reviews the report of a commission studying the feasibility of such a programme, his office said in a statement on Sunday. The rand slipped to a one-year low on Friday amid reports Zuma was preparing to introduce […]

South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma has no plans to announce a programme for free higher education until he reviews the report of a commission studying the feasibility of such a programme, his office said in a statement on Sunday.

The rand slipped to a one-year low on Friday amid reports Zuma was preparing to introduce free higher education, which would put added pressure on public finances.

Zuma’s office rejected a report by the newspaper Sunday Times that he had planned to announce the 40 billion-rand ($2.79 billion) education plan during his State of the Nation Address last February.

“The President waited for the Commission to conclude its business,” the presidency said in a statement. “At no stage did he plan to make any announcements that would undermine the work of the Commission.”