Cape Town - The Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation is remaining mum about Reverend Canon Mpho Tutu van Furth’s suspension from her role as the executive director of her parents’ venture.
Tutu van Furth was suspended last week pending an investigation into possible “conflicts of interests between the foundation and its partners”.
Board member Don MacRobert said the foundation initiated a preliminary investigation and, based on its findings, had asked Tutu van Furth to step down.
The foundation’s board discussed grounds of conflict of interest between them and Tutu’s partner, Professor Marceline van Furth, and came to a unanimous and unopposed decision to suspend Tutu van Furth.
“The board of the foundation has asked Reverend Tutu van Furth to step aside while a process is undertaken to tighten administrative procedures and practices, and mitigate potential for perceived conflicts of interests between the foundation and its partners.
“The outcomes of the process will determine the future,” MacRobert said.
Foundation spokesperson Roger Friedman said a meeting was held on Monday to discuss the matter, and a statement would be released soon.
Another board member, Marlene le Roux, said: “This matter is being treated with great sensitivity.”
Tutu van Furth recently married Van Furth, who is the Desmond Tutu Chair of Medicine at Vrije Universiteit in the Netherlands.
Vrije Universiteit has been doing special projects with the foundation and Van Furth played a key role in securing a R35.8 million donation for the foundation from a Dutch lottery three years ago.
Tutu van Furth has told the media that the lottery event happened before she had fallen in love with Van Furth and that steps had been taken to ensure there was no conflict of interest.
Cape Times