Chairperson denies claims of instability at Mangosuthu University of Technology

Police officers cleaning Mangosuthu Highway after the student's protest in uMlazi, earlier this year. Picture: Bongani Mbatha /African News Agency (ANA)

Police officers cleaning Mangosuthu Highway after the student's protest in uMlazi, earlier this year. Picture: Bongani Mbatha /African News Agency (ANA)

Published Jun 4, 2021

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THE chairperson of the Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT) – the subject of two damning forensic reports against senior executives – has flatly denied that the university is in a state of instability.

Addressing a press briefing yesterday, Morailane Morailane said that the council had received a letter from Higher Education, Science and Innovation Minister Blade Nzimande notifying it about an intention to institute an independent assessor to look into allegations of poor governance at MUT.

Morailane said the council had, as of yesterday, responded to Nzimande, who had given the body 14 days from May 11, when the letter of intent was issued, to comment on his plan as required in terms of the Higher Education Act.

He declined to divulge details on how the council had responded.

While Morailane would not be drawn to comment on the investigation by Morar Incorporated, which was finalised in September 2019, he did give an update on the subsequent Sizwe Ntsaluba Gobodo (SNG) forensic probe, completed in late 2020, before disciplinary processes against those implicated in December .

There were ongoing disciplinary processes against vice-chancellor and principal Dr Duma Malaza, chief audit executive Dr Jerome Mabaso and senior director for operations Muzi Khumalo, who were suspended in April last year pending a forensic investigation against them, Morailane said in relation to the SNG report. “The matters were postponed in May on the basis that the legal representative for all three employees was on paternity leave. The matters will proceed in June, and hopefully be concluded in July 2021,” he said.

Morailane defended a recommendation to reappoint Professor Nokwethemba Ndlazi, who left the institution in 2019 while facing allegations of procurement irregularities. After leaving MUT, she took up a job at the University of Fort Hare (UFH), where she has also been dismissed, apparently on the basis of the same allegations contained in a MUT probe.

“She was never found guilty of any wrongdoing (by MUT). These recommendations (to re-employ her) are being chaperoned through the MUT consultative processes of the senate and the Institutional Forum. The selection committee will be meeting as soon as the views of these organs have been formulated and a final report of recommendations made to council,” Morailane said.

Ndlazi has told The Mercury that her lawyers were challenging her dismissal.

She declined to comment on the Morar findings against her, describing both cases as “sub judice”.

Along with Ndlazi, several other senior executives were also slammed in the investigation, whose recommendations included that some cases be reported to the SAPS in terms of the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Activities Act. Singling out the media for a scathing attack, Morailane said: “A university does not account to the public through the media as we are being required to do.

“It is not a coincidence that we are in the media every day. It is as a result of a concerted effort designed to destroy public trust in the management of the university and throw aspersions on the integrity of individuals who are serving the university.

“These efforts are encouraged by sections of the media and journalists who are biased and not affording the university a fair chance to state its case in a balanced manner.

“Universities thrive in an environment where their institutional autonomy is allowed and encouraged,” said Morailane.

Student Representative Council president Mthokozisi Gumede rejected Morailane’s stance, saying that any move to appoint an independent assessor would be in order.

“What has been presented (through the media briefing) is not the correct picture about what is really happening at the university. MUT is in crisis. There are many issues that are outstanding because of instability.

“There are students who are still not registered due to a lack of financial support. As students, we won’t dictate what should happen, but we just want a stable management, a stable institution and a stable academic environment.

“We believe the minister would not just wake up and say he wanted to appoint an independent assessor. There are pressing challenges that would require such an approach,” said Gumede.

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