The high number of vacant posts in top leadership positions at the Vaal University of Technology (VUT) is a cause for concern for the portfolio committee on higher education and training.
The university welcomed its vice-chancellor and principal, Prof Khehla Ndlovu in February this year. However, it has no chief financial officer (CFO), registrar or executive for human resources.
Key senior academic positions are also vacant. They include deputy vice-chancellors for teaching and learning. Also research, innovation, commercialisation and internationalisation; and resources and operations.
The National Assembly’s portfolio committee on higher education and training, chaired by the ANC’s Tebogo Letsie, expressed concern. It is concerned by the continued high number of vacant positions at senior management level.
The VUT’s leadership was briefing the portfolio committee on its state of affairs on August 28.
Ndlovu joined VUT from Unisa where he served as vice-principal of strategy, risk and advisory services. He told the committee that the filling of critical vacancies was underway, including that of registrar.
The position of vice-chancellor and principal became vacant in May 2023 following the death of Prof Dan Kgwadi. He passed away on April 30 due to ill health.
Ndlovu revealed that on his first day on the job, the CFO handed over his resignation.
He said some of the critical post would be filled by January next year.
University’s largest faculty has no head
The university also has a vacancy for executive dean of the Faculty of Humanities. It is one of the largest faculties in the institution. The faculty has no executive director for strategy.
SRC president Ntwanano Hlongwane also expressed concern over the many critical vacant positions at the university. Hlongwane said the shortage of lecturers for engineering courses also needed to be given priority.
The National Tertiary Education Union painted a positive picture of the leadership provided by Ndlovu. It also lauded the support given by chancellor Vincent Mntambo. He encouraged people to come up with solutions, said the union.
