Nzimande wants more control over varsities
HIGHER Education Minister Blade Nzimande is considering changing the law to give him more power over the affairs of universities, but this move is likely to be resisted by higher education institutions, which are known to jealously guard their autonomy.
SCATHING:
SA Communist Party secretary general Blade Nzimande has criticised Numsa.
Department will appeal ruling
Briefing the media in Parliament yesterday Nzimande said a recent ruling by the Bloemfontein High Court - which overturned his decision to fire a vice chancellor - could render legislation governing higher education obsolete.
Earlier this month Judge Johann Daffue ruled in favour of the Central University of Technology in finding that Nzimande did not have the power to terminate the employment of vice chancellor Professor Thandwa Mthembu.
Daffue ruled that it was also "drastic" that Nzimande had appointed an administrator to oversee the running of the university.
The higher education and training ministry said it was studying the impact of the judgement with a view to amending the Higher Education Act to make it easier to intervene in the affairs of universities, especially where administration had collapsed.
"We are studying and looking at whether this may require some clarity in terms of the law and may be some strengthening so that we are able to intervene within the framework of our constitution, within the framework of not interfering with university autonomy.
"But autonomy can't be used as a kind of maladministration," Nzimande said.
He said the judge had erred in his ruling and that his department would appeal.
"We are worried that this judgment could actually be making the Higher Education Act meaningless.
"It could possibly be interpreted that institutions of higher learning are beyond accountability to government.
"It's basically turning universities into a law unto themselves," Nzimande said.
He added that it was the government's role to ensure that public institutions were not treated as "private property" to abuse taxpayers money.
"We are of the view that the judge perhaps did not fully take into account the totality of the necessity for us to make the kind of intervention that we are making," the minister said.
Nzimande added that the department would appeal the ruling on the grounds that the judge did not take an independent assessor's report into account when making his finding.
The university was placed under administration in June over allegations of financial mismanagement, abuse of power and victimisation.
The University of Zululand and the Tshwane University of Technology are also operating under administration.
"It's not that we like putting universities under administration. It's very stressful to us and to everybody but at the same time we can't stand aside if something is not going all right in our public universities and we do not act," said Nzimande.
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Comments
RobinH
Dream on Bra Blade. Have you not yet realised laws cannot simply be changed because one twit wants more clout? Sometimes your remarks are really off the wall.Report Abuse
MommaC
..... the same Blunt who bunked the portfolio meetings to go join a march?Report Abuse
VENDALIOUS
More control over varsities lol Jerry Sikosana uya tswenya blindReport Abuse
Fisharo
Power hungry communist....Report Abuse
Les4uu
Eish this fake communist and drama queen Blade Nzimande will never cease to amaze me really.Report Abuse
ntiki
He looks drunkReport Abuse
Pointman
This guy wants more power so he can give vent to his vindictiveness and appoint pals to positions so vacated. Our universities will be destroyed by the time he leaves office. His equally incompetent successor will have an excuse for the next ten years of course for poor performance.Report Abuse
Phuphethakatha
He thinks his authority allows him to micro-manage Universities. Long way to go psuedo-communist...Report Abuse
RobinH
MommaC: In some "street slang dialects" in the UK, a "blunt" is a nice fat joint. Smoke that one, Blade.Report Abuse
MommaC
RobinHWould rot a lot less braincells than the red wine seems to be doing AND he could do with a chill pill - so it may not be a bad idea :)
Report Abuse
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