The Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation Dr Blade Nzimande’s plan to place Africa’s largest university (Unisa) under administration is the most dramatic decision in democratic South Africa.
This is the view of Dr Seán Muller, a senior research fellow at the Johannesburg Institute of Advanced Study based at the University of Johannesburg. Muller said while there were serious problems at the University of South Africa (Unisa), it was not clear how they would be resolved by an administrator.
Nzimande announced his intention to place the 150-year-old open-distance e-learning institution under administration last week. This after an investigation by an independent assessor Prof Themba Mosia into the affairs of the university revealed corruption and serious governance, management and administration breaches spanning a period of seven years.
A previous report by the ministerial task team (MTT) led by Dr Vincent Maphai also flagged cases of financial and other ma administration.
“Placing Unisa under administration would be, however, arguably the most dramatic decision since 1994.
“What has been clear is that there are many vested interests and agendas at play, including some of those who support the institution being placed under administration for reasons that have nothing to do with setting it on a better path.
“All of this will make improving the situation quite challenging,” said Muller. Mosia’s report, which corroborated most of the findings of the MTT’s report, revealed that the council did not have the requisite skills and competencies to provide strategic guidance to ensure Unisa becomes a modern distance education university.
The report also uncovered rampant corruption and the flouting of finance, information and communication technology, human resources and supply chain management policies with the council, senate and the executive management being found wanting and not acting in the best interests of the university.
It also questioned the appointment of vice-chancellor Prof Puleng LenkaBula, with Mosia concluding that she did not meet all the requirements. However, he laid the blame at the door of the council for a poorly constructed job advert with vague criteria. Also, of great concern to Mosia and subsequently echoed by Nzimande, was the council’s denial of the existing challenges and its arrogance.
Unisa will join Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT), which is under the administration of Prof Lourens van Staden. The Central University of Technology ( CUT) in the Free State might also be placed under administration. The University of Fort Hare, which was under administration until late in 2020, has been plagued by several assassinations believed to be related to the clean-up campaign underway post the administration period.
A total of 16 universities have been the subject of investigations by independent assessors since 2000. Institutions such as CUT and MUT were the subject of more than one assessment, Nzimande said in his briefing to parliament in June.
Some of the universities that have been under administration include Tshwane University of Technology, the University of Zululand, the Vaal University of Technology and Walter Sisulu University. There are about five universities with no vice-chancellors. Universities South Africa (USAf), a non-profit organisation representing all 26 public universities, said it was concerning when there are governance, leadership and management issues at universities but said it was Nzimande who presided over the appointment of councils and played an oversight role regarding their performance.
USAf chief executive officer Dr Phethiwe Matutu said: “To address governance matters, USAf – through the Higher Education Leadership and Management (HELM) programme and Leadership and Management Strategy Group – is investigating the nature of current issues to design appropriate remedial interventions.
“As soon as those have been approved by the board, they will be implemented by HELM from either later in 2023 or from 2024,” she said.
Follow @SundayWorldZA on Twitter and @sundayworldza on Instagram, or like our Facebook Page, Sunday World, by clicking here for the latest breaking news in South Africa.
