University of Cape Town (UCT) vice-chancellor, professor Mamokgethi Phakeng, on Tuesday received another honorary doctorate, this time from the University of Ottawa.
UCT spokesperson Elijah Moholola said Phakeng is among nine distinguished individuals who will receive honorary doctorates from the Canadian university for their ‘their substantial contributions to their profession, to science and/or to society at large’ across 14 ceremonies over five days.
“As part of her engagements, Phakeng presented a public lecture titled Walking the tightrope between the boardroom and the picket line: Reflections of a transformative university leader as part of the University of Ottawa’s Excellence in Education Lecture Series on Monday.
“During the lecture, Phakeng shared on her experiences since she became UCT VC [vice-chancellor] almost four years ago, having taken office on July 1 2018, with the vision of ensuring that the university retains its position as the top university on the African continent while driving a radical transformation agenda,” Moholola added.
This is Phakeng’s second honorary doctorate from an international university. In July 2019 she was honoured at the United Kingdom’s Bristol University.
In a tweet on Tuesday morning, Phakeng dedicated the honour to her mother who had “denied herself even the basics in life to make sure that each of her children has enough education to make something of their lives”.
She said: “Makes me so happy to see my mother happy. She’s my superwoman! She denied herself even the basics in life to make sure that each of her children has enough education to make something of their lives. She was tough with us and taught me important lessons. I dedicate today to her!”
In March, UCT appointed Phakeng for a second term as the university’s vice-chancellor.
“I came to UCT to serve not just this university but South Africa and the continent. My personal mission has been to develop African leaders who can inspire their own communities and the wider world. I’m humbled by the support I have received over the last four years and [I] am proud to continue in office until 2028.”
During her tenure as vice-chancellor, Phakeng has survived attacks on her leadership style. In 2020, the university’s erstwhile ombud Zetu Makamandela-Mguqulwa lashed out at Phakeng and other executives in her annual report published on the ombud’s website.
The report’s reporting period coincided with Phakeng’s first year at the helm of UCT (July 1 2018 to June 30 2019).
“During this reporting period, a number of work-related complaints came to me about professional interactions with the VC [vice-chancellor] where people felt bullied, silenced, undermined, rebuked and/or treated unfairly.
“Their pain was visible. Some affected bystanders also came to express fear and told me how they were impacted individually by different incidents,” Makamandela-Mguqulwa wrote in the foreword of the annual report.
However, her supporters poured cold water on the allegations.
Chair of council Babalwa Ngonyama said at the time: “The feedback that I have received in consulting with key stakeholders, along with the strength of the endorsement given by senate, demonstrates that despite the many challenges she has faced in her initial four years as vice-chancellor, professor Phakeng continues to be the right person to lead our university and that council should appoint her for a second term in office.”
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