Cape Town - The Department of Higher Education, Science and Innovation has appointed an independent assessor to investigate several allegations against Unisa.
The appointment follows submissions and recommendations made by the ministerial task team (MTT) on the strategic review of Unisa as well as written and in-person engagements between Higher Education, Science and Technology Minister Blade Nzimande and the Unisa council.
Nzimande’s spokesperson Ishmael Mnisi said the primary reason for this decision emanated from the MTT report and letters written by university stakeholders.
“This is a process issue. For now, the minister has written to the council chairperson and is awaiting the council response, then the minister will announce the assessor,” Mnisi said.
In a letter from Nzimande to the Unisa council chairperson late last month, Nzimande said he remained deeply concerned about the prevailing volatile situation at the university, with unending allegations of misconduct and mismanagement.
Appointing an assessor would be an appropriate mechanism and in the interest of public accountability to investigate and establish the veracity of the reports as well as the university council’s counter-assertions, he said.
Some of the key issues the independent assessor will investigate include, among others, allegations of financial irregularities; the circumstances and reasons for the significant number of staff suspensions, disciplinary cases, and dismissals at the university since 2018; and allegations of misconduct and mismanagement against the vice-chancellor.
The university said: “The university holds the view that this is the correct platform and process to address the challenges and allegations besetting Unisa once and for all. To this end, the university will engage directly and only with the processes outlined by the independent assessor.”