Higher Education and Training Minister, Professor Blade Nzimande, has reiterated his commitment to working with the Council of the University of Fort Hare and all key university stakeholders to ensure clean governance at the university.

This comes after Nzimande held a special meeting with the Council of the University of Fort Hare.

The meeting, which was held last Friday, forms part of Nzimande’s continued interventions to ensure stability and clean governance at the University of Fort Hare.

The purpose of the meeting was for the Council to provide the Minister with a progress update on specific governance issues and the disturbing recent events, including the arrest of senior university employees, with some employed in the Vice Chancellor’s office.

Reporting on the outcome of the meeting, the department disputed media reports suggesting that Nzimande’s meeting with the university council collapsed.

According to a statement issued by the department, some members of the Council had initially expressed co
ncern that a detailed agenda was not distributed before the meeting.

However, after a brief break that was mutually agreed to, the meeting continued and the Minister then tabled his set of concerns about the recent developments at the university.

Nzimande also indicated that he would like the Council, as the highest decision-making body, to respond to the concerns raised.

‘After tabling his concerns, it was agreed that the Council will not respond immediately to the issues raised by the Minister and that the Minister will communicate his list of concerns to the Council, in writing.

‘The Minister’s concerns will form the basis for the next meeting with the Council, which will be a physical meeting, to be convened by the department within several days,’ the department explained.

The department said Nzimande is pleased with the outcome of the meeting and remains committed to working with the Council and all university’s key stakeholders to ensure that clean governance is restored, and that the proud history
of the university is protected.

Source: South African Government News Agency