B Cele on challenge facing University of Zululand

1 April 2009

Ladies and gentlemen of the media, I address this meeting this morning with
great shock and discontent on the state of affairs within which the University
of Zululand operates.

However we strongly believe that our intervention as government will yield
good results in addressing solemn matters in this institution of higher
learning which has turned into a war zone because of alleged political
intolerance, which we believe it borders on pure criminality.

It is regrettable that while we are addressing these issues of student
safety and security, nine students are lying on hospital beds with broken limbs
and stab wounds. This follows acts of intimidation and violence which erupted
from the university premises which have been ongoing for a period of time. It
is on this score that the government's intervention was crucial in addressing
this matter.

There are serious allegations levelled against some student leaders through
commission, the management of the institution and the South African Police
Service (SAPS) through omission. Our intervention is not aimed at attacking
other structures of government nor to take a defensive approach on these
matters however our approach is intended at finding a solution that will
address student safety regardless of any political affiliation.

Yesterday I addressed the student leadership at the University of Zululand
as the MEC responsible for community safety in the province. The level of
intolerance within the institution is appalling and sordid; the members of
South African Democratic Students Movement (SADESMO) and the entire Student
Representative Council (SRC) could not avail themselves for this particular
meeting although I have personally invited them and they confirmed their
attendance.

We believe their attendance would have contributed positively towards
solutions within this besieged institution of higher learning. At this juncture
I would like to pause and make a profound plea to the leadership of the Inkatha
Freedom Party (IFP), SADESMO and SRC to avail themselves to be part of the
solution.

As government we believe that an institution of higher learning should be a
terrain of ideals and ideology contentions without constrains, and this
institution should never be converted into war zones as it is currently
happening at Mangosuthu University of Technology and the University of
Zululand. Decisive actions are paramount to government particularly if we
strongly believe that the norms and principles are compromised and the safety
of students is undermined.

It is on that score that we will be pursuing further steps to ensure that
law and order and conducive conditions of learning are restored in this
institution.

These steps are:
* Request the university to devise and provide a strong security plan within
the campus in a shortest possible time
* Deploy both the investigation and visible units of the SAPS
* Isolate and deal decisively with all criminal elements that are source of
instability in this institution
* Follow up on all cases reported at the SAPS and their current status
* Put on facilitation and mediation mechanism for all conflicting grouping
within the institution.

In conclusion members of the media, our mandate as government is to promote
safer communities and furthermore build effective and efficient partnerships
aimed at promoting peace and stability in our communities hence we say working
together we can do more to fight crime.

Media contact:
Nonkululeko Mbatha
Cell: 083 645 6252

Enquiries:
Ms Nonkululeko Mbatha
Tel: 083 645 6252

Issued by: Department of Transport, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial
Government
1 April 2009
Source: Department of Transport, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government (http://www.kzntransport.gov.za)