Cape Town - The Cape Peninsula University of Technology’s council has been urged to “break the veil of silence” and publicly state the reasons why the its vice-chancellor, Prins Nevhutalu, has been placed on special leave.
The union representing the majority of CPUT staff has demanded the release of the findings and recommendations of a team of attorneys the institution commissioned and of a special committee formed to investigate allegations against the vice-chancellor.
This follows an announcement by CPUT council chairperson Mbulelo Bikwani, who informed university staff and students that “the council has placed the vice-chancellor, Dr Prins Nevhutalu, on special leave from October 21, 2016 until further notice.”
Cape Peninsula University Employees Union chairperson Ben Turner told Weekend Argus the union felt that this was a stalling tactic by the university to “delay the inevitable and to use any means possible to retain a leader of this institution who is not accountable”.
The union had expressed its unhappiness to CPUT over the special leave it granted Nevhutalu, said Turner. He demanded action from CPUT on a report by the team of lawyers and action on the recommendations and findings of the special committee.
Lawyers had conducted an intensive inquiry into calls for Nevhutalu’s immediate suspension following allegations he brought the university into disrepute, Turner said.
It followed allegations by students and by the union that the vice-chancellor had violated labour regulations and had been accused of sexual harassment as well as tender irregularities.
Turner said the attorneys were given a brief to investigate 17 allegations against Nevhutalu but that they only found only he “had a case to answer on the sexual harassment matter and complaints related to his management style”.
In the period following the lawyers' probe, CPUT has been gripped by violent conflict between the university administration and the #FeesMustFall movement, which has demanded that the vice-chancellor be fired.
Turner said the special four-person committee reported back to the council three weeks ago and it was after that report was discussed that the council took the decision to place the vice-chancellor on special leave. “We want the report of that committee made public and we want Nevhutalu gone, because he is not an ethical leader and we will do whatever is necessary to ensure this occurs.”
Turner had earlier this year raised the union’s concerns about Nevhutalu in correspondence with the council, alleging fruitless and wasteful expenditure of R1 million, non-compliance with employment equity legislation, and mismanaging the recent protests by students on campus.
He called on the council “to invoke all your powers, duties and responsibilities in a final attempt to save this institution from a total collapse and public humiliation”.
“The allegations are extremely serious and warrant summary dismissal,” he said in his complaint.
Attempts to contact Nevhutalu for comment proved fruitless, but the union’s allegations relating to the reports of the lawyers and the committee and its demands for his dismissal were addressed by Bikwani, who stated that “council is busy with its own process, which is at a sensitive stage”.
He confirmed the council had appointed a committee to deal with matters relating to the vice- chancellor, but said he was not at liberty now to discuss details surrounding the matter, but would be able to do so “when the timing is correct”.
“These are very sensitive matters and it is my duty to protect the institution and everyone involved, including the vice-chancellor, who is still an employee of the university,” Bikwani said.
He said “the matter is ongoing”, but hoped it would be resolved in the near future “possibly around December”.
Weekend Argus