Johannesburg - The Democratic Alliance (DA) has welcomed the decision by Minister of Higher Education, Dr Blade Nzimande, to place the University of South Africa (Unisa) under administration.
On Monday, Nzimande announced that he will, in seven days, place the embattled institution of higher learning under administration following damning findings made by the Independent Assessor, Professor Themba Mosia, who recommended Unisa be placed under administration due to allegations of maladministration levelled against vice-chancellor and principal Professor Puleng LenkaBula and the university council.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, DA shadow minister of higher education Chantel King said Nzimande’s decision to put Unisa under administration was welcomed after the DA initially called for Unisa to be placed under administration.
‘’We have called for the embattled institution to be placed under administration after allegations that Unisa failed to mark nearly a third of submitted assignments in the first semester,’’ King said.
According to the DA, court papers filed by suspended Unisa registrar Professor Steward Mothata suggest that nearly 40% of Unisa students' assignments were not marked.
Previously, The Star reported that Unisa has been faced with allegations of mismanagement, bullying tactics, and supply chain challenges.
‘’Court papers filed by suspended registrar, Prof Steward Mothata, further revealed that almost 38% of first-year students in 2022 failed half their modules and that 37 813 National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) bursary recipients failed to pass a single module.’’
‘’We hope that this decision will be a valuable means for the once-proud university to correct course and once again offer its thousands of students a top-quality higher education,’’ King said.
The minister, through his spokesperson, Ishmael Mnisi, confirmed that Nzimande had already written to the Unisa Council Chairperson, James Maboa, on August 4, 2023, informing him of his intention to appoint an administrator to Unisa.
Mnisi said the minister intended to exercise his powers in terms of Section 49B of the Higher Education Act, 101 of 1997, which empowers him to appoint an administrator.
At the moment, It is still not known who the administrator will be.
Minisi added that, in terms of Section 49E of the Higher Education Act, the Council of UNISA will be dissolved upon the appointment of an administrator sometime next week.
‘’Minister Nzimande is satisfied that the Independent Assessor’s report reveals financial and other maladministration of a serious nature that affects the effective functioning of Unisa.’’
‘’The report reveals that the appointment of an administrator is in the best interest of Unisa and of higher education in an open and democratic society,’’ Mnisi said.
Attempts to get comments from the university were unsuccessful at the time of publishing, but last week, Unisa Chancellor and former president Thabo Mbeki indicated that the institution had written to the minister to inform him of its decision to take the report on review.
Minisi said the alleged challenges at the university were serious and warranted the action of the minister following two reports probing issues of maladministration and other challenges that had become endemic within the different structures of the university.
The Star