News24 reports that students at the University of Fort Hare will have to wait until next semester to complete their exams after lecturers and other staff members embarked on strike action on Tuesday.  

The East London and Alice campuses were brought to a standstill when members of the National Education Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) disrupted exam venues to demand a wage increase.  University spokesperson Khotso Moabi said that negotiations between the union and the university reached a deadlock when Nehawu demanded a 12% wage increase and the university countered with a 6% increase.  Demands also included a notch increase of 5% and a housing allowance of R500, both of which were rejected by the university.  Nehawu spokesperson Khaya Xaba commented that Fort Hare was currently not compensating workers in line with the national market.  Moabi indicated that no further meetings had yet been scheduled with Nehawu.

• Read this report by Christina Pitt in full at News24

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