Pretoria - The ongoing labour action at Unisa’s Muckleneuk campus since March has been condemned by the university senate for “damaging the institution’s reputation”.
Spearheaded by workers affiliated to the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu), the action was intensified after five union members were fired for disrupting a graduation ceremony.
The senate – the university’s supreme academic body – outlined its position on the labour action following a meeting last week.
It bemoaned the fact that the industrial action had “become violent at times and accompanied by criminality and a lack of respect for academic activities”.
“While the university respects the rights of colleagues to engage in industrial action and to protest, senate has thought it prudent to express views that promote the spirit of elevating the importance of brand reputation, academic integrity and institutional culture, even in trying times, which are the collective responsibility of all Unisans,” the senate said in a media statement.
It expressed concern that the Unisa brand had suffered due to the prolonged industrial action.
The academic body said the unions' industrial action has had a major impact on its operations and access to the institution.
While the senate acknowledged the constitutional rights of employees to strike, it believed those rights should be exercised without violating the rights of others.
"The continuing intimidation of non-striking staff members who are attempting to access the university is worrying as it affects the delivery of services to Unisa stakeholders. We are also deeply concerned about the failure of security systems to protect the university community and infrastructure, including the instruments of trade during this industrial action,” the senate said.
Unisa was “embarrassed by the vandalism and blocking of access to streets and property that the community of Muckleneuk has suffered during this industrial action”.
Businesses and residents in the Muckleneuk area recently told the Pretoria News that they were worried about protests affecting the institution since 2018, with others saying that the present action was negatively affecting their livelihoods.
Nehawu regional chairperson Ivan Ramogale, however, rejected claims that residents were under attack from protesters.
The senate said: “We are of the view that the university is a marketplace of ideas and opinions, where the need to listen to those with different views is an imperative.
“For some time, we have observed this important and ideal institutional culture degenerating into insults, bullying, harassment and the undermining of the leadership and management, especially women leaders.”
The body further proposed that the university management organise a re-orientation programme, “to protect the intellectual integrity of the institution for now and for future generations”.
“This programme, we believe, should also focus on cultural or political intelligence, to foster mutual respect among Unisans,” the senate said.
Pretoria News