By Meta Mphahlele
Johannesburg – Suspended deputy vice-chancellor for student affairs at Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) Dr Ezekiel Moraka has earned more than R5-million while sitting at home.
Moraka was suspended in September 2018 pending an investigation into the death of student Katlego Monareng, who was shot and killed by police officers during a protest at the Soshanguvhe campus.
Moraka has accused the institution’s bigwigs, vice-chancellor Laurens van Staden and former chairperson of council Dr Bandile Masuku of harassment and victimisation.
Moraka, through his lawyers Seima Attorneys, lodged a formal complaint to the Minister of Higher Education and Training Blade Nzimande in which he accused the two of abusing their positions of authority at the institution and plotting to get rid of him.
In a letter seen by Sunday World, Moraka has accused the university of instituting a flawed disciplinary process against him based on trumped-up charges with the intention of getting him axed.
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In the letter, Nzimande was asked to instruct the council to reconsider Moraka’s suspension. The letter also requires that Nzimande must conduct an urgent investigation into the way the university conducted the disciplinary process against Moraka and why it failed to refer its dispute with Moraka to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration.
It is also alleged that Masuku attempted to put pressure on Moraka not to contest Van Staden for the position of vice-chancellor and when Moraka refused, Masuku told him that he would lobby council members to ensure Van Staden is appointed. Speaking to Sunday World, Moraka said he didn’t know why his suspension was linked to the death of Monareng and why, two years later, his case has not been resolved.
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“I wrote to Naledi Pandor [former minister of education], Blade Nzimande and the public protector to ask for intervention, but I have never received any response from them,” said Moraka. He said he believed the university was delaying finalising the matter so his contract can end while the process was unfolding.
TUT spokesperson Willa de Ruyter declined to comment on whether it is fair for Moraka to earn millions while on paid suspension, saying the media should wait for the disciplinary processes to unfold.
Masuku did not reply to questions by the time the paper went to print.
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