Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande says student protests over fee increases, which have resulted in the closure of several universities, are not a national crisis.
He adressed the media in Pretoria on Monday as he announced an urgent meeting with representatives from universities, student bodies, and workers set for Tuesday.
Nzimande said so far, Wits University, the University of Cape Town, Rhodes University and Fort Hare University have been affected by the protests.
He said he was convening a meeting, set for Tuesday, with representative delegations of vice-chancellors, university council chairs, students and workers, to discuss and come up with a common framework and approach to the issue of university fee increases for 2016.
Nzimande called on university management to be more sensitive and cautious when deciding on fee increases.
He also appealed to students to give negotiations with management a chance.
Meanwhile, the University of Cape Town has released a statement saying the interdict it applied for against protesting students had been granted.
eNCA reports that the interdict, granted by the Western Cape High Court, bans students from protesting and disrupting activities at UCT.
It means that protesting students, who had demanded that management stay with them overnight if needs be, must refrain from any further protest action.
UCT applied for an interdict against protesting groups, after students broke down the door of the Bremner administration building and occupied the premises.
Sasco and other student movements, including UCT's Rhodes Must Fall group effectively shut down the university in protest over the fee increases.
