High-level finance event can't happen at protest plagued Wits University

It was a coup to land such a high-level panel‚ with speakers including Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan and the European Union Ambassador to South Africa‚ but the flare-up of student protest action at Wits has scuppered the event.

Without alluding to the #feesmustfall protests‚ the Wits School of Governance said in a terse statement that it has had to cancel the OR Tambo debate scheduled for this evening.

"We decided to postpone the debate with Minister Pravin Gordhan that was meant to be held later today‚" it said‚ adding that a further advisory would be issued "should we decide to proceed with this event at a later date".

The event - the 7th edition of the OR Tambo Debate Series - had been arranged by the Wits School of Governance‚ Department of Planning‚ Monitoring and Evaluation‚ Oliver & Adelaide Tambo Foundation and United Nations Development Programme in collaboration with the European Union.

Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan had been expected to join Marcus Cornaro‚ European Union Ambassador to South Africa‚ Thabi Leoka‚ strategic economist at Argon Asset Management and Dennis George‚ general secretary of the Federation of Unions of South Africa in a debate focusing on the South African economy‚ inclusive growth and jobs.

Cas Coovadia‚ managing director of the Banking Association of South Africa‚ had been booked to moderate the debate.