johannesburg south africa government consider range budget cut could include slash social grant vulnerable order pay free tertiary education newspaper report friday south africa rand weaken thursday comment president jacob zuma raise concern high spend education would put add strain country already stretch public finance mail guardian newspaper say presidential fiscal committee present document zuma outline possible cut fund free high education lower-income students well plug swell budget deficit options include cut social grant main source income around 17 million people third population slash budget house infrastructure arm force freeze civil servant wage hike also card newspaper report presidency treasury immediately respond request comment violent protest students activists demand free tuition rock several south african universities last year underlie tensions country mar glare income disparities define largely race south africa star barrel rat downgrade treasury last month widen 2017/18 budget deficit estimate 4.3 percent gross domestic product low year economic growth forecast 0.7 percent 1.3 percent south africa mull welfare cut fund free high education report