By Latoya Newman
A high-level team of officials from the Higher Education and Training Department has been deployed to help calm matters at the troubled Durban University of Technology, where violent protests over the past few weeks have resulted in all the institution's campuses being shut down.
The department's spokesperson, Ranjeni Munusamy, said minister Blade Nzimande had dispatched the team, which would start work at DUT on Monday.
"We are extremely concerned about the breakdown in talks and the disruptions over the past few weeks," she said.
On Friday, the DUT management closed all its campuses temporarily because of "the volatile situation".
Before Friday, the institution had closed its Midlands campus after a clash between students, security guards and police.
The students' representative council has a list of grievances which it claims the DUT management is not addressing. The acting vice-chancellor, Professor Nqabomzi Gawe, said the management had been dealing with the concerns raised by the students.
"The management has dealt with the SRC in a patient, sympathetic and understanding manner and, under trying circumstances, has held a number of meetings since the beginning of the year to remove obstacles that could inhibit a successful academic year.
"Despite all management's efforts, it seems that there is little intention on the part of the SRC to bring the matters to a close," said Gawe.
She condemned the unruly and violent nature of the protests.
Munusamy said the ministerial team would hold talks with all parties.
"We are confident that these officials will help get things back on track," she said.
· This breaking news story was supplied exclusively to www.iol.co.za by the news desk at our sister publication, The Mercury.
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Published on the Web by IOL on 2010-03-21 22:18:41
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