National varsity shutdown looms Share Johannesburg - Tertiary institutions throughout South Africa are braced for a nationwide shutdown as the funding crisis, accompanied by rising student protests over fees, threatens to derail the 2021 academic year. Threat of protest action comes amid a funding shortfall for universities amounting to more than R6 billion, subsequently resolved following government intervention, expected cutbacks in subsidies, and the escalating total student fee debt currently at almost R14bn. In addition, the move towards digital learning as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic has severely impacted finances of tertiary institutions throughout the country. On Friday, the South African Union of Students (Saus) handed over a list of demands to Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Blade Nzimande, calling for urgent action on student debt, unfunded students, transformation, postgraduate funding, missing middle students and the housing crisis.