University of South Africa (Unisa) vice-chancellor Barney Pityana is adamant that he will stay in his position, despite repeated calls for him to resign.

Briefing the media in Pretoria on Thursday after meeting the Young Communist League and the SA Students Congress (Sasco), Pityana said: "You have not been invited to receive a notice of resignation by Barney Pityana.

"That's not going to happen," he said, laughing.

Pityana said he had met with the organisations where a wide range of issues were raised, including representation of the Student Representative Council ? which had garnered less than one percent of student's votes ? academic support, and the 3000 odd students who had been refused permission to write exams because academic fees had not been paid.

"What, of course, we couldn't agree with them on, was the idea that Unisa was maladministrated.

"This culture of trying to campaign against management and leadership of institutions has got to come to an end."

Speaking outside Unisa's administrative building, Sasco president Mawethu Rune said that while the university had acknowledged the organisation's serious concerns there was no doubt that Pityana needed to step aside.

"As the leadership we have no confidence he has the capacity to lead the process of resolving core issues."

Rune said the student organisation would return to its members to brief them on what had been discussed. However he was adamant that no dramatic improvement could be made overnight.

He said mass action was still on the cards.

A rally at the university was called off on Wednesday after management had agreed to meet with students.

Meanwhile when asked how the meeting had gone, Pityana could not be drawn on a comprehensive comment saying only: "I don't have a feeling."

He responded similarly to questions that some students were calling for his head because he was affiliated to the newly formed Congress of the People.

"I actually don't know and quite honestly it doesn't matter to me, I'm not interested."

Rune however reiterated that it was not a political witch hunt, and that Pityana's proposed resignation was purely on the basis that he could not transform the collapsing university.

"To us there has never been a personal hatred of honourable Pityana," said Rune.