Note to Editors: Please find attached English soundbite Wannè Andrews, Chairperson of DASO UFS, Afrikaans soundbite by Dr Igor Scheurkogel MP, and Sesotho soundbite by Jafta Mokoena MPL.
The Democratic Alliance Students Organisation (DASO) at the University of the Free State (UFS) will take immediate steps to challenge the university management’s decision to discontinue provisional registration from the 2026 academic year.
DASO will engage through all formal and democratic channels to ensure that students from financially disadvantaged backgrounds are not unfairly excluded from pursuing their studies due to systemic funding delays.
This decision is a regressive and damaging policy that infringes upon the constitutional right to basic education and gambles with the futures of thousands of students, ultimately undermining the backbone of our country’s economy.
It is not a simple administrative adjustment; it is a deliberate barrier that unfairly targets poor and working-class families already struggling the most. By removing the critical lifeline of provisional registration, UFS is effectively shutting the doors of higher education to students who rely on delayed funding disbursements from institutions like NSFAS or other bursaries.
To frame this as a mere call for “planning” is to wilfully ignore the systemic delays and bureaucratic challenges that students from disadvantaged backgrounds face daily. The core values of the Democratic Alliance are Freedom, Fairness, and Opportunity.
This decision assaults all three: it strips students of the Freedom to pursue education without being penalised for circumstances beyond their control; it is profoundly unfair, privileging those with upfront capital while punishing those from less affluent backgrounds, creating a two-tier system where access is determined by wealth, not merit.
It demolishes the opportunity for young South Africans to lift themselves and their families out of poverty through education, cementing inequality rather than breaking it down. A university should be a beacon of hope and a catalyst for social mobility, not a fortress for the privileged.
While we acknowledge the university’s desire for financial sustainability, this cannot be achieved by sacrificing the futures of the most vulnerable.
Therefore, DASO UFS demands the immediate suspension of this decision, collaborative engagement with all student bodies, and a renewed commitment to dismantling financial barriers, not reinforcing them.