Union, Unisa in talks over ‘unsafe campus buildings’
The protest follows claims by the union that buildings were not compliant with occupational, health and safety standards.
Unisa is in talks with the National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) to find an amicable solution to a protest at its Sunnyside campus this week.
This after the campus was not accessible on Tuesday morning because of protest action by Nehawu members.
The protest follows claims by the union that buildings were not compliant with occupational, health and safety standards.
Lunathi Hontoti, Nehawu’s chairperson at Unisa, said buildings lacked adequate running water for drinking in addition to faulty electrical wiring.
“There is no maintenance whatsoever,” said Hontoti.
Unisa spokesperson Martin Ramotshela said the university wanted to bring the protest action to an end as well as ensure that the campus was reopened as speedily as possible.
Ramotshela said discussions would also involve a progress report on the maintenance plan the university had already presented to organised labour and other interested parties.
READ MORE: Unisa female students now armed with pepper spray
This report comes after Nehawu staged a protest earlier in the year, calling on Unisa to better maintain buildings.
The union also said the institution had promised permanent employment to workers who had been working on fixed-term contracts “for many years”.
Hontoti said Nehawu was, however, satisfied with the suspension of Unisa registrar Faroon Goolam.
The union accused Goolam of poor leadership, which led to Unisa not admitting thousands of students.
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