About 31 retrenched lecturers at the Durban University of Technology (DUT) have held a protest outside the university gates calling on management to reinstate them to their positions.
They are accusing the university of failing to follow necessary Section 189 processes.
It is alleged that the university retrenched these lecturers for not meeting the necessary qualification requirements. But according to workers union Nehawu, the university took a unilateral decision to terminate their contracts whilst discussions were still under way.
Nehawu’s provincial secretary Ayanda Zulu says, “It is our view as Nehawu that the discussion about these retrenchments in terms of Section 189 are still ongoing. That is why we were extremely shocked when we heard the news that the university had taken a unilateral decision to terminate these contracts. We are still committed as Nehawu to discuss these acts.”
DUT response to Lotus FM’s Newsbreak
Durban University of Technology management say a decision was made in 2008 that a Master’s degree be a minimum requirement for a lecturer.
The university says affected academics were well aware that this was a mandatory requirement.
DUT further states that fair and transparent processes were undertaken in retrenching the 31 academics.
DUT response voiced by Newsbreak’s Taliesha Naidoo:
