Former TUT dean linked to cattle ‘theft’ scandal takes helm at UFS Qwaqwa

Professor Prince Ngobeni, the former dean of science faculty at Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), implicated by the university’s farm manager in the theft of cattle and misuse of the farm’s bank account, has just landed a plum job at the University of Free State.

Ngobeni is the principal of its Qwaqwa campus, the UFS said. Describing Ngobeni as an expert with strong research background, the university revealed on its online platforms that he started last Thursday.

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UFS Vice-Chancellor Professor Francis Petersen said: “With extensive years of academic leadership experience, Prof Ngobeni has the experience required to guide the Qwaqwa Campus towards the university’s vision 130.”

While UFS is celebrating Ngobeni’s arrival, he left TUT under a cloud. In an exclusive exposé in December, The Citizen reported Ngobeni suddenly resigned from his top position at TUT after being confronted about suspicious activities on the university’s farm used to train agricultural students.

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Shortly after being charged for the unexplained purchases using the farm account and unauthorised sale of cattle, the farm manager, Douglas Mfolo, filed an affidavit telling the university he simply acted on Ngobeni’s instructions.

Ngobeni later resign with all his pensions and benefits, while Mfolo is to be hauled before a disciplinary hearing next week. In the affidavit The Citizen has seen, Mfolo defended himself by saying Ngobeni instructed him on three occasions to buy crucibles. The objects, which have no use in the farm, cost the university over R375,000.

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Crucibles are metal or ceramic containers commonly used to melt platinum, bronze, silver and even gold. The farm, situated on a piece of land in Bon Accord, Pretoria, is a research facility which serves as a training ground for the university’s agricultural students and also supports commercial farmers.

The funds on the farm’s bank account were only meant for purchasing of seed, fertilizer, chemical and equipment, but were used to buy crucibles.

The university also learnt that dozens of cattle belonging to the university were sold without authorisation.

The proceeds were never declared to the university. Mfolo said he gave all the proceeds from the sale of cattle and the crucibles to Ngobeni. Efforts to get comments from both Ngobeni and UFS were unsuccessfull at the time of publishing.

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Ngobeni had previously declined to comment.

– malibongwed@citizen.co.za