NMMU and parent body ordered to resume talks

THE Grahamstown High Court has instructed Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) and an association of concerned parents to resume mediation over fee protests with all stakeholders at the university.

The Concerned Association of Parents and others for Tertiary Education at Universities (Captu), earlier this month took NMMU to court in a bid to force it to obtain an interdict against protesters to end the shutdown and resume academic activities.

But last week, the parties instead agreed to try resolve their differences through mediation and engagement with all stakeholders, including the student representative council, university council, #FeesMustFall, Sasco, EFF Student Command and NMMU Black Stokvel/ Marikana.

The agreement stipulated that if the mediation failed, the parties could return to the high court to argue the application.

Mediation did fail but Captu’s high court application became moot at the weekend when NMMU obtained an interdict off its own bat and announced it would resume the academic programme on Tuesday.

Captu said it would not pursue its application but still wanted NMMU to foot the legal bill for it. It returned to court to argue the issue of costs on Tuesday.