Cosatu calls for cancellation of student debt amid Covid-19 pandemic
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) has called on universities and other institutions of higher learning to cancel historical student debt.
Spokesperson Sizwe Pamla says the Covid-19 pandemic has an impact on people's ability to settle their debts.
"This is an issue we have been talking about for some time, but we now see it as an urgent issue because 41% of graduates are sitting at home. They are unemployed and watching their dreams pass them by.
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"When they seek self-employment opportunities they blacklisted because of their student debt and therefore cannot continue with starting their business. The Covid-19 pandemic has also added an economic impact to this.”
He added that employed graduates enter the workplace in a debt trap and have to borrow more money to stay afloat.