The Vaal University of Technology (VUT) is in a dire-situation and requires an urgent response, before it crashes financially and academically, warns VUT’s administrator Professor Ihron Rensburg.

“We are in an emergency and this requires an emergency response. If the institution crashes, financially and academically, what happens to our students, and to our economy? And what will happen to our staff? We must now come to our senses and wake from this two-decade long bad dream. We have to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and put our shoulders to the wheel if we are going to turn this dire situation around,” said Rensburg at two imbizos.

According to an article published on the Mail & Guardian, in his address, Rensburg mentioned that it was worrying that in two decades the university has been under administration three times. He said this showed the “deep-seated, multiple and unresolved troubles”.

In his assessment of the institution since he took over two months ago, Rensburg said he had found an institution that is run by factions, with no decision making authority, lack of accountability and a university whose student success rates are declining and is no longer the first choice of study for prospective students.

“It is deeply faction-ridden, and this has enabled rogues to capture and to paralyse procurement, infrastructure projects and staff appointments…Decision-making had collapsed and executive decision-making had been deferred upwards, and into the confusing maze of decision-making structures,” he said, adding that despite management holding meetings regularly decisions were not implemented or followed through.

Rensburg also said recruitment processes were not followed at the institution and that some people were hired informally.