Unisa welcomes court ruling setting aside the Minister’s decision to appoint an Administrator

The University of South Africa (Unisa) welcomes the ruling of the Pretoria High Court today (Wednesday, 01 November 2023) which found that the decision of the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation to appoint an Administrator for the university is in breach of previous court orders and unlawful.

In the order issued electronically this morning, the court ruled as follows :

1. The matter was dealt with as one of urgency.
2. The application for the joinder of further applicants is granted, with no order as to costs.
3. It is declared that the Minister’s decision published in Government Gazette number 49582 Vol. 700 dated 27 October 2023 is in breach of the order granted on 24 August 2023 by honourable Adams J and unlawful.
4. The Minister must immediately retract the Government Gazette number 49582 Vol. 700 dated 27 October 2023.
5. The parties are granted leave to approach the Deputy Judge President of the Gauteng High Court for a date and time for consideration of the issue of contempt.

The university believes that this court decision is sound and correct, given that the matter pertaining to the review of the Independent Assessor Report, which largely formed the basis of the Minister’s decision, is still before the court and yet to be concluded.

The management of the university once again appeals to staff and students not to let these developments in court defocus them from the task of ensuring that the academic project forges ahead unabated.

Management also re-emphasises the point that it is not fighting the Minister but merely exercising its responsibility towards the institution, its stakeholders and the public at large by preventing an unnecessary disruption of the execution of its missional mandate. 

/Ends.