The Council was now urgently looking into appointing an interim vice-chancellor to hold office.
Cape Town - The UCT is yet to officially brief Higher Education and Training Minister Blade Nzimande about recent decisions including a R12 million settlement agreement that is anticipated to see Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng serving for the last time this week as the university’s vice-chancellor.
The Council was now urgently looking into appointing an interim vice-chancellor to hold office.
“The minister has not been informed officially by the University Council about the exit package of Professor Phakeng.
“However, the minister hopes that the UCT Council is approaching the matter of the UCT VC with requisite care and application of the labour law as required by Section 34 (3) of the Higher Education Act.
“The minister will respond further when contacted by the university officially,” Nzimande’s spokesperson, Ishmael Mnisi said.
Council chairperson, Babalwa Ngonyama, announced in an internal communication on Friday that Phakeng “will take early retirement from the position of vice-chancellor with effect from March 3”.
Her professorship is expected to terminate with effect from February 28 next year.
In a video shared on social media at the weekend, Phakeng was seen eating and engaging with students.
“Enjoyed supper with my students on my last Saturday as VC of UCT #Grateful,” she said.
Ngonyama said: “The university has reached an agreement with Professor Phakeng, which requires any public announcements and press statements to be mutually agreed to between Professor Phakeng and the university.
Unfortunately, despite our best endeavours, we have not been able to reach an agreement as yet and as such, no public statement can be issued regarding Professor Phakeng’s departure and we urge you to keep this communication confidential.”
She said the Council had resolved it would review the current constitution and mandate of the established independent investigation panel, which had started its work.
“Council resolved that it would review the current constitution and mandate of the panel to determine an appropriate form for the panel, which would enable it to consider and investigate issues of governance that have affected and are affecting the university without specifically considering or investigating the conduct of the vice-chancellor,” said Ngonyama.
Drama at Africa’s top-ranked university has been ongoing for years, but escalated last year when Phakeng and Ngonyama were accused of lying about the departure of a former UCT deputy vice-chancellor: teaching and learning, Lis Lange.
UCT's Black Academic Caucus secretary, Dr Sabelo Hadebe, said they had no idea who was going to be an acting VC.
“However, we hope that the Council in its wisdom will select a candidate that will continue to advance the transformation agenda that the university has embarked on during the tenure of Prof Phakeng and also takes into account the imperatives of succession planning,” he said.
Cape Times