Mediators to plough new furrow at college

11 September 2015 - 02:53 By Aphiwe Deklerk

The Western Cape government has hired independent mediators to help transform the troubled Elsenburg Agricultural Training Institute. This was revealed yesterday by Alan Winde, MEC for economic opportunities, when he responded to questions by ANC leader Marius Fransman on what steps had been taken to address "racial and language tensions" at the institution near Stellenbosch.Students at the college, which falls under the provincial department of agriculture, clashed during a protest against its language policy two weeks ago. Several were hurt."Independent mediators have been appointed to facilitate the transformation process, diversity management training and conflict resolution involving students, lecturers and the administrative personnel," said Winde.He said his government took the situation seriously and a team from the college council was trying to find a solution."The college council instituted a task team to engage with students and key stakeholders to facilitate the development of a new language policy."Winde said after the protest there was an agreement that lectures be duplicated so students could choose to be taught in either English or Afrikaans.Fransman criticised Winde, saying he had ignored a letter sent to him in July alerting him to the problems.The ANC leader said there was no need to develop a new language policy for the institution."What we require is the implementation of the constitution of this province that talks about Afrikaans, English and Xhosa," he said...

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