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The Student Representative Council at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University has
cancelled a Steve Biko lecture due to have been presented on Tuesday by DA leader and Western Cape premier, Helen Zille.
The lecture would have formed part of a series of events underway this week to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the death of Biko in police detention.
At the time Zille had been a journalist at Rand Daily Mail and had reported extensively on Biko's death.
NMMU SRC president, Yusuf Cassim, said they decided to cancel Zille's lecture following consultations with members of management, student affiliate Azasco and the Centre For The Advancement of Non-Racialism and Democracy.
He also said it would take the gloss off the official memorial lecture by professor Itumeleng Mosala on Wednesday.
"After consultation with members of management , CANRAD and members of our affiliate Azasco, the SRC has decided to cancel the programme. As the highest executive student body, the SRC acts in the interest of ALL students. It is based on this that we took our decision out of respect to our affiliate Azasco as well as respect for the Dean of Students and the Vice-Chancellor" Cassim said.
