Cape Town - In a plot twist to allegations of nepotism among Stellenbosch University's (SU) top brass, more than 200 members of the SU Convocation have called for the executive committee of the institution's Convocation to be voted out.
An urgent request for an extraordinary meeting of the Convocation with intentions for a vote of no confidence against SU’s Convocation executive committee was issued on Tuesday morning.
Seen by the Cape Times, the letter to the president of the Convocation, advocate Jan Heunis and secretary Frederick van Dyk was sent by Convocation member Dr Louise van Rhyn.
The motion was seconded by 246 other convocation members.
This comes after the Convocation executive committee made a call last month for vice-chancellor Professor Wim de Villiers, and registrar Dr Ronel Retief, to resign from their positions.
This amid allegations that the vice-chancellor attempted to use the rector’s discretionary placements (RDP) to secure a place for his wife’s nephew at the institution’s medical school, despite some applicants having better academic results.
According to the letter of the Convocation members, the executive committee acted in bad faith and contrary to the Statute and Rules governing Convocation, which requires the executive committee to give effect to decisions of Convocation.
“The Convocation executive committee acted without any mandate and contrary to the express provisions of the Statute which records the object of the Convocation as maintaining a mutually beneficial relationship between the university and the members of the Convocation.
This unlawful decision caused serious harm to the University’s reputation and integrity. Convocation has lost confidence in the Convocation executive committee (with the exception of the vice president, Dr Rudi Buys) and the remainder of the Convocation executive committee should vacate their offices forthwith,” the letter read.
They are calling for Buys to perform the functions of the executive committee until a new Committee is elected.
The university’s spokesperson Martin Viljoen said: "Stellenbosch University noted the motion by members of the Convocation and the request directed at the executive committee of the Convocation to convene a special Convocation meeting. As is the case with ordinary Convocation meetings, the University also provides the necessary logistical support for special meetings to take place.
“Representative Convocation meetings offer members of the Convocation the opportunity, via participation and debate, to thoroughly discuss issues - of which the current issue on which there are widely differing viewpoints is an example – and to take decisions that are within the mandate of the Convocation.”
The SU Council had resolved that a council committee of three persons should be established first to investigate allegations of nepotism levelled against the VC De Villiers.
Viljoen said the council committee had been appointed, and included retired Justice Carole Lewis who will chair the committee and will be joined by council members Helena Conradie and Ziyanda Stuurman.
Justice Lewis was previously Dean of Faculty of Law at Wits University and a judge of the Johannesburg High Court.
She retired from the Supreme Court of Appeal in 2019 after nearly 17 years.
“The committee will start work in mid-May and submit its full written report with findings and recommendations, if any, to the Council as a matter of urgency. Once Council has this report, it will evaluate the recommendations and consider the motion tabled by Dr Leon Schreiber,” said SU Chair of Council Dr Nicky Newton-King.
Cape Times