Blade Nzimande withdraws notice to place Unisa under administration

Minister of higher education, science and innovation Blade Nzimande on Friday announced he was withdrawing the notice to place the troubled University of SA (Unisa) under administration.

A government gazette published on Thursday read: “I, Dr BE Nzimande, MP, the minister of higher education, science and innovation, hereby withdraw Government Notice No 4015 published in Government Gazette No 49582 Vol 700 on October 27 2023, that announced the decision to appoint an administrator for the University of SA.”

Nzimande's move to abort this action comes after the institution filed an urgent application to oppose this in the high court in Pretoria.

The court ordered Nzimande to retract the government gazette notice issued wherein he announced the appointment of an administrator for Unisa.

Acting judge Andre le Grange had ruled that Nzimande’s decision was in breach of an order granted by judge Leicester Adams on August 24 ordering the minister not to act on the recommendations of independent assessor Prof Themba Mosia’s report until two separate applications challenging it are finalised.

Another judge of the same high court, Harshila Kooverjie, ordered Nzimande on October 6 to withdraw his notice of intention to place the university under administration.

Nzimande had appointed the former vice-chancellor of the University of Johannesburg, Prof Ihron Rensburg, to act as administrator for two years after dissolving Unisa’s council.

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