DA challenges Nzimande over UWC

The Democratic Alliance on Monday urged Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande to explain the reasoning behind his appointment of five council members at the University of the Western Cape implicated in the removal of chairman Brian Williams.

The party said it would submit parliamentary questions asking Nzimande whether he breached the principle of academic freedom in appointing the five new members.

It pointed out that the Western Cape High Court found that the grounds for Williams' removal were not legally sound, and the university's convocation last week said the minister's appointees drove the decision to ask him to step down.

"It is essential that our higher education institutions become centres of excellence, which produce the best possible graduates," the DA said.

"This cannot be done when politicians play games with very serious processes.

"We look forward to Minister Nzimande's urgent explanation so that the current dispute can be brought to an end," the party said.