Outcome of motions - Extraordinary meeting of the SU Convocation

3 June 2023

The Management of Stellenbosch University (SU) notes the outcome of the extraordinary meeting of the Convocation held on the evening of Thursday, 1 June 2023. The meeting was chaired by retired justice BM Griesel after the members of the convocation who attended the meeting in person unanimously supported his appointment as ad hoc Chair for this extraordinary meeting.

The Convocation is a statutory body of the University with the objective, according to the University's Statute, to “promote the welfare of the University by maintaining a mutually beneficial relationship between the University and the members of the Convocation".

The motions are available here and here.  

Two motions by members of the Convocation were debated and voted on at the extraordinary meeting. (For members that registered for the online meeting a 24 hour voting period was also agreed on between the President, Vice-President, and the two proposers of the motions.) The first, a motion of no confidence in the executive committee of the convocation, excluding the vice-president, Dr Rudi Buys, carried. The members of the executive committee excluding the vice-president, will now vacate their positions.

The second, a motion of no confidence in the vice-president of the convocation, did not carry.

SU confirms that due process has been followed and trusts that all members of the Convocation will abide by these outcomes. The University will continue to provide administrative and logistical assistance to support the Convocation wherever required.

SU has some 230 000 alumni.

MORE ABOUT THE SU CONVOCATION

According to the University's Statute, the objective of the Convocation is to “promote the welfare of the University by maintaining a mutually beneficial relationship between the University and the members of the Convocation, and may advise the Council, and the Senate when applicable, in this respect". The Convocation is part of the SU community. It is not a separate legal entity and cannot litigate against the University.

The Statute further states that the Executive Committee of the Convocation helps the Convocation achieve its objective and perform its function. It gives effect to decisions of the Convocation.

The Convocation is composed of: (a) all persons on whom a qualification has been conferred at a congregation of the University; (b) the rector, the vice-rectors, chief operating officer and the full-time academic staff of the University; and (c) former full-time academic staff of the University who have left the service of the University on account of their having reached a retirement age.

The Executive Committee of the Convocation consists of 5 people: the President of the Convocation who serves as Chairperson at meetings of the Convocation; the Vice-President who serves as Chairperson at the meetings of the Convocation in the absence of the President; the Secretary of the Convocation; and two members elected as set out in 3.2  in the Procedure for the nomination and election of the Executive Committee of the Convocation.

The institutional rules for the Convocation are available here.

***

Text of the successful motion:

To: President of the Stellenbosch Convocation, Adv Jan Heunis SC Secretary of the Stellenbosch Convocation, Mr Frederick van Dyk

From: Dr Louise van Rhyn, Convocation member

Cc: of Stellenbosch University, Dr Ronel Retief Convocation Executive and Council Members Chairperson of Council, Dr Nicky Newton-King

Re: REQUEST FOR EXTRAORDINARY MEETING OF THE CONVOCATION

2 May 2023

Dear Adv Heunis SC

REQUEST FOR AN EXTRAORDINARY MEETING OF THE CONVOCATION

We, the undersigned, acting in terms of clause 50(3) of the Institutional Statute of Stellenbosch University (as read with paragraph 5.2 of the ‘Convocation Mandate’, and paragraph of 3.1 of the ‘Convocation Meeting Procedures’) hereby submit a written request for an extraordinary meeting of the Convocation to be called urgently.

The purpose of the meeting is for the Convocation to consider and vote on the following motion.

MOTION OF NO CONFIDENCE IN THE CONVOCATION EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

WHEREAS

(A) the Institutional Statute of Stellenbosch University (“Statute”) records:

48(1): The objective of the Convocation is to promote the welfare of the University by maintaining a mutually beneficial relationship between the University and the members of the Convocation, and may advise the Council, and the Senate when applicable, in this respect.

51(6): The executive committee assists the Convocation in the achievement of its objective and the performance of its functions referred to in clause 48 and gives effect to decisions of the Convocation, and must report to the Convocation at its next meeting.

63(1): A body or office bearer on whom a power or function is conferred by or in terms of this Statute may delegate, on such terms or conditions as such body or office bearer may determine, that power or function to another body, office bearer or staff member of the University, unless the Act or this Statute precludes the delegation.

(B) the Mandate of Convocation notes that:

4.1.1 The Convocation Executive Committee helps the Convocation achieve its objective and perform its function. It gives effect to decisions of the Convocation.

6.1 The Convocation takes decisions on majority vote.

6.2 Each member has one vote. Each ballot paper and electronic vote carries equal weight.

6.3 In the event of a tie, the Chairperson may exercise a casting vote.

6.4 The Registrar must submit advice received from the Convocation to the Council and the Senate.

(C) the Convocation Meeting Procedures requires that:

2.6.2 The Secretary of the Convocation will submit the preliminary record of the meeting, approved by the Executive committee of the Convocation, to the Registrar within thirty business days after the meeting, highlighting the advice that the Convocation wishes to submit to the Council and Senate.

2.6.3 At the next available Senate and Council meeting, the Registrar must submit the advice received from the Convocation.

(D) the Convocation Executive Committee announced:

a decision purportedly taken on 14 April 2023 by Convocation to call for the resignation of the:

(i) Rector and Vice-Chancellor and

(ii) Registrar of Stellenbosch University.

WE PRESENT HEREBY AGREE AND RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:

1. The Convocation Executive Committee acted in an undemocratic and unconstitutional manner in circumstances where the Convocation had not taken the purported decision in Recordal (D) above.

2. The Convocation Executive Committee acted in bad faith and contrary to the Statute and Rules governing Convocation which requires the Convocation Executive Committee to give effect to decisions of Convocation.

3. Accordingly, 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.

4. 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.

5. The Vice President should perform the functions of the Convocation Executive Committee until a new Convocation Executive Committee is elected.

6. The behaviour and utterances of Convocation’s elected members to Council, specifically Jan Heunis and Leon Schreiber, is questionable and Convocation calls upon the institutional bodies, particularly Council, to take steps to discipline and, to the extent that it is within its power to do so, to relieve Jan Heunis and Leon Schreiber of their roles and duties as Council members, including through removal, as a matter of urgency.

END

Motion tabled:

1. Dr L van Rhyn, MBA, 1994

Motion seconded1:

2. Prof (Emerita) JJ Blitz, PhD, 2018

3. Prof D Brink, PhD, 2004

4. Prof R Carolissen, DPhil, 2008

5. Prof JM de Villiers, BSc Hons, 1970

6. Prof A-M Engelbrecht, Department of Physiological Sciences

7. Prof A Fataar, Department of Education Policy Studies

8. Prof PF Fourie, PhD, 1988

9. Prof P Gobodo-Madikizela, SA Research Chair in Violent Histories and Transgenerational Trauma, SU

10. Prof A Gouws, Distinguished Professor of Political Science

11. Prof JD Jansen, Distinguished professor of Education

12. Prof JF Kirsten, BSc Hons, 1985

13. Prof JD Krige, MComm, 1973

14. Prof E Pretorius, Department of Physiological Sciences

15. Prof A Schoonwinkel, MEng, 1981

16. Prof MJ Smith, Director, Business school

17. Prof Herman Wasserman, Chair: Department of Journalism

18. Dr HC Botha, PhD, 1993

19. Dr C Bester, PhD, 2009

20. Dr AP Cilliers, DTh, 2000

21. Dr J Cilliers, PhD, 2020

22. Dr JP De Vries, BSC Hons, 1982

23. Dr J De Villiers-Strijdom, PhD, 2021

24. Dr L Dick, MPhil, 2008

25. Dr M Du Preez, PhD Honoris Causa, 2018

26. Ms BP Dyani, BEng, 2021

27. Dr C Ekron, PhD, 2015

28. Dr JL Farmer, PhD, 2021

29. Dr BN Fortuin, PhD, 2015

30. Dr ME Geustyn, MA, 2014

31. Dr JH Groenewald, PhD, 2017

32. Dr E Hertzog, MMed (née Anest), 1979

33. Mr ZC Horn, MEng, 2018

34. Dr FP Hugo, BA, 1969

35. Dr D Human-Van Eck, PhD, 2016

36. Ms S Jingqi, BA, 2014

37. Dr TR Joseph, DPhil, 200

38. Dr AP Kilian PhD, 2015

39. Dr GP Kirsten, MSc, 2018

40. Dr JM Kruger, DLitt, 2009

41. Dr BF Loubser, MEng, 1985

42. Dr M Lyner-Cleophas, PhD, 2016

43. Dr NN Makaluza, PhD, 2019

44. Dr L Maya, MBchB, 2011

45. Dr W Mbao, PhD, 2013

46. Dr S Meyer-Nell, MBChB, 1997

47. Dr AH Molotsi, PhD, 2017

48. Dr DJ Nell, MMed, 2005

49. Dr M Petersen PhD, 2016

50. Dr E Pieterse, PhD, 2006

51. Dr WSP Schoombee, MBChB, 2012

52. Dr E Sinclair, PhD, 2019

53. Dr J Stimie, PhD, 2015

54. Dr PDF Strijdom, DTh, 1996

55. Dr CS Theron, PhD, 2000

56. Dr EA Turner, DTh, 1998

57. Dr CE Van Den Berg, MMED, 2009

58. Dr RA van den Berg (née Van Zijl), MBChB, 2005

59. Dr A Van Der Merwe, PhD, 2013

60. Dr IJ Van Der Merwe, DTh 2000

61. Dr L Van Rooi, DTh, 2009

62. Dr A Van Rooyen, MMed (O&G), 1993

63. Dr CD Von der Heyden, MBChB, 1993

64. Mr JL Aiyer, BA, 2023

65. Mr AJ Allers, BAcc, 1985

66. Mr FP Avenant, MTh, 1977

67. Mr DBR Badenhorst, BA (Law), 1971

68. Ms L Badenhorst (née Theron), BA, 1971

69. Mr N Bekkers, BPubl Admin Hons, 1990

70. Ms M Bester, BSc High Ed Dip, 1996

71. Mr AC Böhmer, MA Psychology, 1998

72. Ms S Booyens (née Cronjé), BSc, 1959

73. Mr JG Brink, MA Psychology, 2013

74. Mr V Brink, BSc Hons, 1976

75. Ms PK Brown, BA (Law) 2021

76. Ms NJ Bruns-Bergsteedt, MA Journalism, 2018

77. Ms LM Botha, MEd, 1996

78. Ms F Bubenzer, BA Hons, 2001

79. Ms EJ Burger, BSc HEd, 1980

80. Ms N Christians, MA Journalism, 2023

81. Ms S Cilliers BA, HEd, 1985

82. Mr GM Cornellisen, MPhil, [2003 2004] student #: 11586952)

83. Mr LA Cuff, BSc, 2013

84. Mr W Davidse, MPhil, 2008

85. Mr J De Clercq, BCom, 1991

86. Ms C De Clercq (née Kohlberg), MCom, 1986

87. Mr N De Clercq, BCom Hons, 2020

88. Mr WB De Clercq, BAcc Hons, 1986

89. Mr CWLR De Villiers, BCom, 2022

90. Mr W Davidse, Mphil, 2008

91. Ms L De Villiers (née Oosthuizen), BA, 1970

92. Ms L De Villiers, BA LLB, 1996

93. Mr PD De Villiers, BAcc, 1996

94. Mr WA De Wit, MPhil, 2021

95. Mr KM Dijkstra, BA LLB, 1985

96. Ms E Dippenaar, (née Maas), 1973

97. Mr SSR Dube, BSc Hons, 2019

98. Ms I Du Plessis, BA LLB, 1984

99. Ms L du Plessis, BA, 1997

100. Mr WJ Du Plessis, BA, 1982

101. Mr J Du Toit, BAcc, 1996 (Student nr 9410384)

102. Ms M Du Toit, MA Psychology, 2003 (Staff nr 11550619)

103. Mr S Dyan, PGDip, 2022

104. Ms IS Dyantyi, LLM, 2021

105. Mr S Elson, BA, 2022

106. Mr AM Emsley, BA, 1995

107. Mr JJ Erwee, BEcon, 1988

108. Ms MG Fouché, MSc Agric, 1996

109. Mr S Foster, LLB, 2023

110. Ms F Fredericks, BA Hons, 2010

111. Mr BT Frolick, LLM, 2022

112. Mr LLB Gaum, BTh, 1995

113. Ms A Gazendam-Schulze, MA, 1998

114. Ms AM Gerber (née Victor), BCom, 1996

115. Mr JG Georgiades, BA, 2012

116. Mr KCG Gilbert, BSc Hons, 2022

117. Ms CH Hartley, MA, 2011

118. Mr B-C Havemann, BComm, 2003

119. Ms A Havemann-Serfontein, MA Psychology, 2002

120. Ms DEA Hendricks, BEng, 2022

121. Ms S Human (née Croeser), LLB, 1987

122. Mr T Hlatshwayo, BCom Hons, 2023

123. Mr M Jamba, BEd Hon, 2018

124. Ms CR Jansen, BA Hon, 2017

125. Mr MP Johannes, BEd, 2017

126. Mr CP Jordaan, BAcc, 1999

127. Ms J Jordaan (née Van Zyl), BAcc Hons, 2000

128. Me MM Joyce, BA Hons, 2021

129. Mr Y Keva, BTh, 2020

130. Ms N Kirsten, MCom, 2015

131. Ms AE Kloppers, BA Hons, 1987

132. Mr BJ Kloppers, MEng, 2022

133. Mr PW Kloppers, LLM, 2000

134. Ms CL Krige (née Meyer), BCom, 1969

135. Mr X Kritzinger, MMus, 2019

136. Mr A Krynauw, BEng, 1987

137. Ms GM Landman, HEdD, 1976

138. Mr NF Lees, LLB, 1981

139. Ms M Le Fleur, BA, 2023

140. Ms AM Lemmer, BA, 1978

141. Mr MC Leslie, MPhil, 2010

142. Mr GE Leukes, BEng, 2010

143. Ms M Loubser (née van Velden), BHome Eco, 1981

144. Ms DJ Louw, BSocial Work, 2013

145. Ms A Louw, BA, 1990

146. Ms S Louw, BA, 1986

147. Mr SAC, Louw, BEng, 1987

148. Ms L Mabitsela, BEng, 2021

149. Mr M Mango, LLB, 2019

150. Ms A Manuel, BCom, 2022

151. Ms H-L Marshall, LLM, 1998 (St nr 9238263)

152. Mr A Mangali, BSc Hons, 2021

153. Mr M Matiwane, BPublic Admin Hons, 2021

154. Ms BT Matuba, BA Hons, 2022

155. Ms L Mbatha, Masters Urban and Regional Planning, 2018

156. Mr LT Mboko, MCom, 2022

157. Mr KD Meyer, BCom Hons, 2017

158. Mr B Mgijima, MPA, 2018

159. Mr L Mgobozi, BAcc, 2022

160. Mr TM Mlangeni, BSc, 2021

161. Mr NBS Mncube, PGDip, 2023

162. Ms DN Mokone, LLB, 2021

163. Ms A Molebatsi, BSc, 2021

164. Ms J Momberg, BA Hons, 1990

165. Mr BJS Momberg, BA, 1990

166. Mr JH Momberg, BCom, 2019

167. Ms AL Moolman, BA, 1994

168. Ms P Moolman, BSc Hons, 2022

169. Ms MP Mostert, MBA, 1996

170. Ms F Mubaiwa, BCom Hons, 2016

171. Ms U Mubaiwa, MA (Research Psychology), 2022

172. Mr TK Nair, PGDip, 2022

173. Ms JP Naude, MCom, 1986

174. Mr FP Ndebele, LLB, 2021

175. Ms A Ndudula, BAcc, 2018

176. Ms A Nel, MSc, 2006

177. Mrs E Nel, BSc, 1981

178. Mr S Ngxowa, BEng, 2022

179. Ms P Nhamo, BCom, 2023

180. Mr X Njengele, BA, 2019

181. Mr C Nolte, MA, 1997

182. Mr MJ Nyakatya, MSc, 2006

183. Ms NS Nyongo, Hons, 2021

184. Ms RD Olivier, BA Hons, 2016

185. Mr C Otto, BCom LLB, 1972

186. Ms Z Otto Ladbrook, BA Hons, 2003

187. Ms BC Ottermann, BA Hons Journalism, 1997

188. Ms PS Qabaka, Bcom, 2022

189. Mr L Phakade, BA, 2019

190. Mr J Pijl, MBA, 2018

191. Mr A Pinzi, MPubl Admin, 2017

192. Ms GJ Prekel (née Immelman), BA, 1960

193. Mr NA Pretorius, BEng, 1991

194. Mr M Ramaisa, BCom Hons, 2021

195. Mr DJ Retief, BSc BEng, 1967

196. Mr DJ Retief, BSc Hons, 2000

197. Ms CE Retief, BA, 1967

198. Mr D Richfield, MSc, 2008

199. Ms CJ Robertson, MA, 2013

200. Ms S Roux, BEng, 2006

201. Mr A Sandaza, LLB, 2022

202. Mr A Serfontein, MTh, 2012

203. Mr T Seyisi, LLB, 2021

204. Ms A Shaikh, MSc, 2021

205. Ms KA Sharpley, MA, 2020

206. Mr WA Smit, MBA, 1994

207. Mr M Smorenburg, BCom, 2010

208. Mr C Spies, MTh, 1982

209. Mr HM Spies, MBA, 2012

210. Ms J Stassen, MBA, 1995

211. Ms KL Step, MSc, 2022

212. Ms EJ Strijdom, BHomeE, 1970

213. Adv H Swanepoel, BCom Econ, 1984

214. Mr H Swart, MAcc, 1992

215. Ms R Terreblanche-Brand, BPrimEd (Mus), 1996

216. Ms UK Tlhopane, BSc Agri, 2021

217. Ms AC Tobo, PGDip, 2017

218. Ms EJ Toerien, MEng, 1987

219. Ms AJ Tremeer, BPhil, 2000

220. Ms Z Trollip, BScAgric, 2022

221. Mr TB Tshauambea, BA (Law), 2020

222. Mr MT Ukena, BA Law, 2021

223. Mrs M Van Den Worm, BSc, 1980

224. Adv DJ Van Der Merwe , BCom LLB, 1998

225. Ms M Van Der Merwe, HPOD, 1967

226. Ms AJ Van Der Westhuizen, MPhil, 2013

227. Mr CA Van Dyk, BEng, 2021

228. Mr DC Van Dyk, BTh, 1981

229. Ms S Van Dyk, MMus, 2001

230. Mr G Van Rhyn, BAcc, 1985

231. Ms H Van Rhyn, BEng, 2021

232. Ms L Van Rhyn, BSc, 2023

233. Ms E van Rooyen, Hons Bcom, 2022

234. Ms M van Rooyen, BCom, 2019

235. Ms E Van Wyk, BA, 2021

236. Ms M Van Wyk, HonsBA, 1987

237. Ms B Van Zyl, MEd, 2018

238. Ms MS Van Zyl, Hons Eng, 2001

239. Mr PJ Venter, BEcon Hons, 1989

240. Mr P Visage, BAcc LLB, 2022

241. Mr JH Visser, MCom, 1978

242. Ms LM Visser, MA English, 2014

243. Ms S Walbrugh-Parsadh, MA, 1996

244. Ms C Wassenaar (née Grant), BEng, 1987

245. Ms M Wassenaar, BA Law, 2021

246. Ms MA Wevell, BCom, 2023

247. Ms L Wilkinson, PGCE, 2021

END

1 Members identified with details: Title, Name, SU Qualification and year obtained, or Academic Department.

ENDS

Issued by Stellenbosch University, 3 June 2023