Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu is not concerned at criticism of his stand on forgiveness for the University of the Free State students accused of racist behaviour.

"I always have people criticising me. That's not new," he told journalists in Cape Town on Thursday.

"And I always end up being right."

The four Reitz hostel students were suspended after allegedly videotaping three university cleaners eating meat which had apparently been urinated on.

The university's new rector, Jonathan Jansen, last week announced the university was withdrawing disciplinary charges against them in a gesture of reconciliation.

He was supported by Tutu, who said Jansen had "done us proud".

The move has however been opposed by the African National Congress and Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande, who described it as "a superficial tradeoff which further impugns the dignity of the victims".

A lawyer for the four has asked the Free State director of public prosecutions to drop a charge of crimen injuria against them.