Education department concerned about WSU protests

The department of higher education has expressed concern over the ongoing protest at the Walter Sisulu University.

Academic activities disrupted for the past three weeks and mid-year examinations postponed indefinitely.

Staff members belonging to Nteu and Nehawu are demanding salary increases.

All the four campuses of the university remain shut as negotiations between the management and the unions deadlocked.

On Thursday last week, members of both unions marched from the North End Stadium to the East London City Hall, where they handed over a memorandum to a representative of the department.

Responding to the memorandum, the department of higher education director-general Gwebs Qonde said the department was extremely concerned about the allegations raised against the university vice-chancellor professor Rob Midgley, and urges the unions to "formally raise the matter with the university council that is responsible for oversight and addressing such matters", he said.

Qonde said the minister of higher education could only intervene at a university when the council had not addressed the issue of serious maladministration and governance failure, and as such the council must respond to the allegations raised.

He said the department was also concerned about the effect that the prolonged industrial action would have on the academic programme of the university, and ultimately on the ability of students to succeed in this academic year.

“The staff of the university plays a critical role in supporting the development of the university and ensuring that the appropriate authority addresses their concerns," he said.

Qonde said the department would monitor the developments at the university closely.