TUT administrator finally appointed, but what about Molefe & Co.?
The Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomes the announcement by the Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr Blade Nzimande, in yesterday's Government Gazette that he has appointed Professor Themba Mosia of the North-West University as administrator for the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT).
We are delighted at the Minister's positive reaction to a request I had made as far back as June this year, by means of a Members' Statement in Parliament. I insisted that he should intervene in order to prevent Professor Johnny Molefe, the acting Vice-Chancellor and the University Council's preferred candidate at the time, from being appointed to the position of Vice-Chancellor because he had a fraudulent Doctorate from a university that does not exist.
Professor Molefe was recently appointed amid great controversy, but now the Minister has finally come to TUT's rescue by putting his foot down. He deserves credit for this. The purpose of the appointment of an administrator is, in the first place, to restore the university's integrity.
In his term of two years the Administrator has been charged with appointing a new University Council and taking over Professor Molefe's Vice-Chancellor duties and powers. This enables him to get rid of Council members who were determined to appoint Professor Molefe at all costs.
However, the question is: What will become of Professor Molefe? What is the status of the investigation into his conduct? Will he still draw his salary of R2,2 million per year? What will his position be when the administrator's task has eventually run its course? After all, there is a strong suggestion that he contravened Section 66(2) of the Higher Education Act by presenting his doubtful Doctorate when he applied for the post.
One also needs to ask whether the Administrator will set side certain appointments made by Professor Molefe, during which he surrounded himself with supporters and sycophants in top positions. Will members of the Executive Management Committee, who did absolutely nothing to counter the chaos in which Professor Molefe's curriculum vitae plunged the university, be dismissed? Will the appointment as Chief Financial Officer of Professor Molefe's friend, Mr Steven Mnisi, who is not a chartered accountant, and who has to manage an annual budget of nearly R3 billion, be rescinded?
Various attempts at obtaining clarity in regard to these matters since yesterday's announcement have proven fruitless. I therefore intend to put written questions to the Minister on this matter. In accordance with Parliament's Standing Rules and Orders, he will have to answer these within ten days.
Statement issued by Dr. Junita Kloppers-Lourens, MP, DA Shadow Minister of Higher Education and Training, August 17 2011
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