The vice-chancellor of North West University has stepped down in the wake of the Nazi-style salute scandal, two months before the end of his second term.
University council chairman Peet van der Walt said yesterday that, after "lots of soul-searching ", Theuns Eloff had decided it was in the best interests of the university for him to step down.
This follows the leak of pictures and a video showing first-year students at the university's Potchefstroom campus doing a "Sieg Heil" salute during an initiation.
Professor Dan Kgwadi, who was to start his term as vice-chancellor in June, will take over from Eloff.
Van der Walt said this was to enable Eloff to allow Kgwadi to take full responsibility and ownership of the independent investigation into the alleged acts of fascism and Nazism.
Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande ordered the council to stop initiation practices and to institute a thorough probe into demeaning cultural induction practices that seemed to exist with the approval of management.
"To give effect to the minister's request, council instructed the vice-chancellor, as the accountable manager, to see to it that all initiation practices, as well as any practice that may be construed as demeaning or an infringement of human rights, cease with immediate effect," Van der Walt said.
Eloff said he was "not pushed but jumped" and that it was critical for Kgwadi to take charge of the university.
"Let the man take the bull by the horns and run with it."
The university apologised "unconditionally" for the offensive practices and human rights violations.
The university resolved to appoint an independent inquiry and provide a report to the minister by May 22.
Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package. 
