South Africa: Degrees of Disorder - - Top Varsities UCT and UWC in Turmoil Over Vice-Chancellors

12 November 2023
Daily Maverick (Johannesburg)
analysis By Msindisi Fengu

The troubles have sparked a debate over whether councils or their statutes rule the roost.

The key policy document that governs universities is in the spotlight amid the alleged defective appointment processes of vice-chancellors at two of the country's leading universities.

A University of Cape Town (UCT) independent panel investigating governance failures has detailed how UCT's former council, led by Sipho Pityana, appointed former vice-chancellor Mamokgethi Phakeng despite serious concerns being raised about her leadership style.

Phakeng left UCT on 3 March and Professor Dayanand Reddy is the interim vice-chancellor.

The UCT's panel report on 1 November was followed by news of the cancellation of the rector and vice-chancellor recruitment process at the University of Western Cape (UWC).

UWC's senior appointment committee of council (SACC) on the appointment of a rector and vice-chancellor had ordered the process to be restarted because of concerns raised. But the senate resolved that the council should reconsider and rescind its decision.

Where does the real power lie?

There is now a stalemate at UWC over restarting the appointment process.

Approached for comment, UWC registrar Nita Lawton-Misra said the council was the highest decision-making body of the university and made decisions as a collective.

"Council meets on 23 November 2023 and will consider issues raised by senate. I would only...

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