UFH sets new date for exams as strike drags on

Strike-ravaged University of Fort Hare will try again to complete its mid-year exams.

The university said the deferred exams, disrupted by an ongoing wage strike, were scheduled for Monday.

An additional security com- pany is to bolster the existing team to ensure a conducive climate for studying and writing.

The university is refusing to pay the strikers any more, and this month will adopt the international standard of no work, no pay.

Four exam days were disrupted during the mid-year exams in June when 500 academic and non-academic staff members affiliated to Nehawu downed tools on June 12 to demand a wage increase and improved benefits.

The disruptions affected more than 2,400 students and the remaining exams were postponed to July 17. That attempt was also disrupted.

The strike is entering its eighth week.

The bargaining process has collapsed.

UFH vice-chancellor Professor Sakhela Buhlungu said the university was preparing to “normalise”. Strikers made up less than a third of the staff and the university would continue to run using skeleton staff.

Higher education and training minister Naledi Pandor has asked her director-general, Gwebinkundla Qonde, to visit the university.

UFH is offering a 7% increase, as well as 0.5% increase in notch progression. Workers want increases of 8%-10% and 2% notch progression.

“Our key focus right now is to enable the exam process to start and to put in place a plan to save the remainder of the 2018 academic year,” said Buhlungu on Wednesday afternoon.

Our key focus right now is to enable the exam process to start