The National Tertiary Education Union said that the axing of Higher Education Minister, Blade Nzimande, will further destabilize the higher education sector.
Nzimande was axed in a cabinet reshuffle announced on Tuesday by President Jacob Zuma, surprising the ANC and its alliance partners who said they were informed but not consulted.
“These abnormal actions by Zuma have become a regular occurrence during his term in office and further underlines his tendency to place his own interests first and not those of the country”, said NTEU President Dimakatso Peo.
“We are dismayed by this 12th cabinet reshuffle since 2009 which has caused another crisis in an already battered economy,” Peo added.
“We strongly believe that President Zuma should be focusing his attention on the fees commission report and releasing its findings without delay” said NTEU General Secretary Grant Abbott.
“It is our hope that the new minister, Hlengiwe Mkhize, will be able to bring a lasting solution to the fees crisis.”
Abbot said they would be writing to the new Minister seeking an urgent meeting to engage on ways to move the tertiary sector forward to this goal.
NTEU is a recognized trade union organizing exclusively in the Higher Education Sector and is affiliated to FEDUSA, the largest politically non-aligned trade union federation.
