The Minister of Higher Education and Training, Naledi Pandor, has welcomed the resumption of the academic programme at the Walter Sisulu University (WSU) in the Eastern Cape.

The three campuses (Buffalo City, Butterworth and Mthatha) were closed on 7 March 2018, following several student protests, which were unfortunately accompanied by violence and destruction of property.

The resumption of the academic programmes comes barely a week after the Minister sent a team of senior officials from the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) to work with the University management and students in finding solutions.

The DHET team met the student leadership and the university management on Thursday and Friday 15 and 16 of March 2018, resulting in a number of decisions being made regarding the concerns raised by the students.

The three campuses resumed the academic programme on Monday, 19 March 2018.

Minister Pandor said she was pleased with the resumption of the academic programme and is sympathetic to both the issues raised by the students and challenges faced by the university management in dealing with the issues.

However the Minister was deeply concerned at the violence and destruction of property that accompanied these student protests and stated that violence and destruction of public property are indefensible and an affront to legitimate protests.

 

Issued by Department of Higher Education and Training