Ex-public protector to politicians: hands off universities

South Africa’s former public protector Professor Thuli Madonsela has called on politicians to stop meddling in university internal affairs, saying they have done enough polarising the country for parochial political gains, writes Unathi Nkanjeni for Times Live.

Madonsela, under the hashtag #HandsOffStellenboschUniversity, said politicians should respect academic freedom and allow internal administrative justice processes to take their course. “Please respect academic freedom and stop meddling in university internal affairs. Please allow internal administrative justice processes to take their course. You’ve done enough in polarising the country for parochial political gains,” she said. Madonsela said staff and students at Stellenbosch University have adequate agency to prosecute their grievances through internal administrative justice processes without politicians manufacturing outrage, acting as shop stewards or SRCs and fomenting division.

News24 reported the South African Students Congress (SASCO) has been at loggerheads with the university over transformation policies. Nqobile Mtolo, SASCO’s branch convener, said black students at the university were constantly told about transformation in the university, but little action was taking place.
Full report on the Times Live site