South Africa: Drama Over University of the Western Cape Decision to Terminate Vice-Chancellor Recruitment Process

31 October 2023
Daily Maverick (Johannesburg)
By Msindisi Fengu

The UWC senate is unhappy about the cancellation of the institution's vice-chancellor recruitment drive. The process is to be restarted from scratch.

The University of the Western Cape (UWC) senate has asked for a special meeting with council leadership following the cancellation of the process to recruit a rector and vice-chancellor.

Daily Maverick has learnt that the request, signed by 102 senior academics at UWC, was sent to registrar Dr Nita Lawton-Misra on Monday, 30 October.

In part, they said council leaders would have to explain their reasons for the cancellation of the recruitment process.

Lawton-Misra indicated that the matter will be discussed at a special senate meeting on 2 November.

UWC's Prof Alan Christoffels said that, much like his colleagues, he was in the dark about the council's decision to cancel the appointment process.

The institution is looking for a new vice-chancellor because Prof Tyrone Brian Pretorius' term is coming to an end in December 2024.

The three shortlisted candidates for the post were professors Vivienne Lawack, José Frantz and Robert Balfour.

The three academics made their presentations - as part of the interview process - at UWC's Jakes Gerwel Hall on 2 October 2023. The session was chaired by Judge Nathan Erasmus, chairperson of the Senior Appointments Selection Committee of Council (SACC). The interviews were held the following day.

Christoffels...

Read the full story on Daily Maverick.

Tagged:
Copyright © 2023 Daily Maverick. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.

AllAfrica publishes around 400 reports a day from more than 100 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.

Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.