Parliament, Wednesday, 20 November 2024 – The Portfolio Committee on Higher Education today began by administering oath and affirmations to senior University of Fort Hare (UFH) and the University of Limpopo (UL) managers before commencement of the meeting.
The senior managers of the two universities appeared before the committee to brief the committee on the state of governance and administration at both universities. The committee took a decision after it was informed that people who appeared before it were charged for painting senior university managers negatively.
The Chairperson of the committee, Mr Tebogo Letsie, said that the reason taken to administer oaths was to protect SRC representatives and labour unions representatives against victimisation for any disclosures in the meeting. Furthermore, the committee wanted to ensure that it is not misled by university managers during engagements on governance issues.
In his opening remarks, the Chairperson of the committee, Mr Tebogo Letsie said: “I am tired of universities that constantly go to court wasting university money instead of using it to improve the lives of students.” Furthermore, he said the university of Fort Hare is not in good shape, and it has not submitted its audited financial statements for money that was appropriated to it from Vote 17 which is Higher Education and Training and therefore these funds remain unaccounted for.
The National, Education Health and Allied Workers Union representative from the UL told the committee of his suspension after questioning the university Council about the extension of the term of office of the Vice-Chancellor.
The committee expressed its unhappiness about deviation from its resolution that all SRC elections at 26 universities to be held via manual vote presided over by the Independent Electoral Commission instead of external entities.
In his reply to the committee, the UL’s Vice-Chancellor (VC) called this resolution of the committee clumsy and overreaching. The committee found it concerning that the UL’s Council had gone against its statutes in extending the term of the VC and that the VC himself could not properly give account on how many terms he has served in that position.
The committee noted with concern that the VC’s employment contract was extended by the Council on condition that he was going to mentor his successor. The committee also found it hard to accept that the university wanted a person to be mentored for the position as this would mean suitably qualified candidates were going to be excluded.
The Department of Higher Education and Training also told the committee that the UL rejected ministerial appointees. Mr Letsi said it was concerning that the university spent R14 million on court cases involving students. He said the committee must be furnished with proper numbers in a written response.
The committee will meet with the Minister of Higher Education and Training to discuss the future of the current Council of the UL given concerns about how Council conduct themselves.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION AND TRAINING, MR TEBOGO LETSIE.
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