DispatchLive reported on Tuesday that two Eastern Cape universities, Walter Sisulu University (WSU) and University of Fort Hare (UFH), were on total shutdown as wage negotiations between management and unions remained deadlocked.  

Thousands of academic and non-academic staff at WSU and UFH continued to strike for better pay and better benefits.  Mid-year exams at both these universities were disrupted as result of the strikes.  While UFH has postponed the disrupted exams to the next semester, WSU was yet to decide when the mid-year exams, which never took place due to the strike, would be written.  WSU went on total shutdown three weeks ago, while UFH went on a total shutdown on Tuesday after talks at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) held on Monday between management and National Education Health and Allied Workers' Union (Nehawu) members failed to break the deadlock.  The union refused a new offer.

• This short report by Aretha Linden is at DispatchLive

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