Dr Blade Nzimande, who due to announce on Friday that he’s placing the University of South Africa (Unisa) under administration, has been ordered to withdraw his decision.
In a dramatic turn of events, Unisa’s university council was granted an interdict by the Pretoria High Court ordering the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation to withdraw his notice to appoint an administrator at the 150-year-old varsity.
Late on Thursday afternoon Nzimande’s office issued a statement that the minister will announce his final decision on Friday to place Unisa under administration.
In response, the Unisa council made a high court application requesting that the Nzimande withdraw his notice.
The order was granted with the court citing that Nzimande’s notice was in breach of an earlier order issued in late August barring him from acting on the recommendations of the independent assessor’s report.
There are currently two court application before the court regarding the report submitted by independent assessor Prof Themba Mosia on Unisa. One application is by the chair of the council, Mashukudu Maboa, seeking to interdict Nzimande from placing the institution under administration.
The other is by the university’s principal and vice-chancellor Prof Puleng LenkaBula requesting a review of Mosia’s report and for it to be set aside.
On Thursday after 5pm, Nzimande’s spokesperson Ishmael Mnisi said in a statement that Nzimande will announce his final decision on Friday.
“The minister delayed to make his decision under mutual agreement that the period of the written representations be extended to September 4 2023,” Nzimande’s spokesperson Ishmael Mnisi said in statement after 5pm on Thursday.
“Being mindful of the legal and administrative requirements, the minister awaited a response of the Unisa Council and nothing of substance happened more than a month, instead the Council is going about its business as if there is no pending decision to be taken. As a result, the minister cannot wait indefinitely without taking a decision,” Mnisi said in the statement.
Mnisi had not responded to our questions regarding the interdict at the time of going to print. Unisa has said they will be issuing a statement on the matter later on Friday.
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