FILE PHOTO: South Africa's President Jacob Zuma looks on during the last day of the six-day meeting of the African National Congress 5th National Policy Conference at the Nasrec Expo Centre in Soweto, South Africa, July 5, 2017. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko/File Photo

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa will raise subsidies to universities to 1 percent of gross domestic product over the next five years from nearly 0.7 percent at present as recommended by a commission on higher education funding, President Jacob Zuma said on Saturday.

“As a result of this substantial increase in subsidy to universities, there will be no tuition fee increment for students from households earning up to 600,000 rand a year during the 2018 academic year,” Zuma said in a statement.