We wish to confirm that the Hatfield and Groenkloof campuses will open on Monday, 29 February. Classes will resume, according to the timetable as set out in the revised 2016 Calendar (www.up.ac.za/keydates).

At the same time, the University management have agreed to set aside time tomorrow (Monday 29^th) to engage with the leaders of student structures, at the request of the student leaders. The discussions tomorrow will focus on a number of issues that have been raised by student leaders, and on developing a way forward in seeking to address them.  

The University will undertake to assist those student leaders who attend the meeting tomorrow to make up all lectures, tutorials and tests that they may miss by giving their time to the discussions.

These decisions follow meetings that were held during the weekend, including meetings between student leaders, a meeting of the Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr Blade Nzimande, with student leaders and members of the Executive, and a subsequent meeting between the student leaders and members of the Executive.

In his meeting, the Minister highlighted the investment of the country in our youth and the need for the new generation of graduates with skills to contribute to building the national economy. He also noted the potential costs to the country, as well as to individual students, of further disruptions to their academic programmes.  Minster Nzimande urged students to go back to classes without delay, and at the same time to engage with University management in peaceful discussions to find resolution to their issues. 

As we reopen for classes, additional and more stringent security measures have been implemented, in order to ensure the safety of our students and staff. 

We remind staff and students that strict access control will be in operation on the Hatfield campus and allowance should be made for possible delays in entering the campus. Please have your student/staff card with you as no-one will be allowed to enter the premises without it.  We also request that you co-operate with the requests of security staff at all times.  

The University will be enforcing an approach of zero tolerance of any disruptive and unlawful behaviour.  A court interdict is in place, precluding violence of any sort on our campuses, and we will continue to enforce it strictly, with the assistance of the South African Police Services.