Unizulu rector under fire

SUSPICIONS have been raised concerning the appointment of University of Zululand Vice Chancellor (VC) Xoliswa Mtose, casting a shadow of doubt on the integrity of the selection process.

This after a top academic who vied for the position has questioned why he did not get the job. Professor Thandwa Mthembu, appointed as VC and Principal of the Durban University of Technology (DUT) in October, says he was never contacted to indicate why he had been unsuccessful in his 2015 application.

This has come to light amid revelations that Mtose may not have been the best qualified candidate for the job that now has her earning close to R2.9- million a year.

‘Except for acknowledging receipt of my application, the university never wrote back to me, let alone explain the reasons for my application being unsuccessful,’ Mthembu told the Zululand Observer.

He has in the past been lauded as one of South Africa’s foremost academics and was the youngest man in the country to become a full professor, was Deputy Vice Chancellor (DVC) at the erstwhile University of Durban-Westville between 2000 and 2002, Vice Principal at the University of the Witwatersrand between 2002 and 2006, as well as Vice Chancellor at Central University of Technology in the Free State from 2007 until his appointment at DUT this year.

During Mtose’s career, spanning some 20 years, she held no DVC or VC positions until her appointment as DVC at Unizulu in 2014, a promotion from Dean of Faculty of Education, a position she held for 10 months.

Her other experience includes a four-year stint as Dean of Education at Fort Hare University between 2009 and 2013.

From 1996 to 2009 she held various lecturer positions at Fort Hare and Rhodes universities.

‘I would be happy to know what the reasons were and what requirements I failed to meet,’ said Mthembu.

Further investigation into the appointment process has revealed that Mtose sat on the selection panel at the time it disqualified all nine candidates, including Mthembu.

The same panel went on to recommend her as the best suited candidate and she was subsequently appointed in April this year.

Selective process

Minutes of a selection panel meeting dated 8 May 2015, at which time Mtose was still part of the 16 member selection panel, showed Mthembu was among five candidates who all met the minimum requirements, but were disqualified as they did not meet ‘certain set selection criteria’ – criteria the university has refused to divulge.

The other four did not meet the minimum requirements and were immediately disqualified.

‘She is Blade’s agent,’ said one source who wished to remain anonymous, referring to the Minister of Higher Education and Training, Blade Nzimande.

The panel was made up of seven external council members, four of who were Ministerial appointees to Unizulu’s council, three internal council members, two external experts on higher education, the HR executive director, the registrar and deputy registrar, as well as the admin committee manager.

‘There is no doubt. Many people are talking about it, that she is making decisions not for herself but under influence of others.

‘Look at how the situation has deteriorated,’ the source said, referring to the closure of the main campus in August and a staff strike continuing unabated for close to three months.

The university was forced to extend the academic programme to compensate for students missing classes as a result of the strike, itself a situation fraught with controversy.

Another source, who sat on the selection panel, said ‘the entire process was flawed with the procedures being rigged to allow Mtose to be appointed’ – claims which the university has vehemently denied.

‘Mthembu fell out of favour with Minister Nzimande after a court battle which he won, that is why he did not get the job of running Blade’s alma mater,’ the source claimed, referring to the unprecedented legal action Mthembu took to prevent Nzimande from placing the Central University of Technology (CUT) under administration in 2012.

But in response to this claim, Department of Higher Education and Training (universities’ branch) Deputy Director General Dr Di Parker on Friday said, ‘After this case the department and Ministry continued to support and work with CUT.

‘The Minister does not harbour personal ill will to any individuals within the sector. In cases where the Minister needs to intervene, it will always be in the interests of the institution.’

Meanwhile another confidential source who also sat on the panel, said he felt the process was fair.

‘I had no issue with the outcome’.

Strong tactics

Yet evidence of heavy-handed tactics relating to Mtose’s appointment can be found in the treatment of former Convocation President Bongamusa Makathini.

The ZO has seen emails, which Makathini confirmed he penned, sent to Unizulu Council Chair and Umgeni Water CEO Cyril Gamede, and Ministerial Council appointee Pearl Maposhe on 26 July, wherein he expresses concern over the appointment process and requested a meeting with Gamede and Maposhe to discuss his concerns.

Gamede, who also chaired the selection panel, replied in what can only be described as a scathing response, that Makathini was not addressing his concerns in the correct manner and was acting unprofessionally.

Three days later Makathini was served with a letter from Unizulu’s lawyers, asking him to give a statement to a forensic auditing firm so that any information he may have relating to ongoing investigations into alleged financial misconduct and the degrees-for-sale scandal could be shared. Makhathini, who did not wish to be drawn into detailed questions, did confirm that he had sought legal advice in response.

He said following his request he was never granted an opportunity to meet with Gamede to discuss his views on the appointment of Mtose.

Head hunters The ZO can report that following the disqualification of all candidates, the panel and then Council decided to hire a private firm to head hunt suitable candidates.

The firm submitted a report to the selection panel wherein it confirms who was approached and which candidates did and did not respond.

Twenty people were approached, among them Wits VC Prof Adam Habib, University of Cape Town VC Prof Max Price and University of Johannesburg VC Dr Ihron Rensburg – some of the foremost academics in the country with years of experience in university executive management.

Only two responded, indicating interested – Mtose and Prof Johnathan Blackledge, University of KwaZulu-Natal DVC – Research.

The university said Mtose had not expressed interest in applying for the position, but the head of the human resources committee of council who also sat on the selection panel, Nomusa Mbatha, had recommended she be included in the head hunting process.

A report from an external expert who was part of the selection process claimed Prof Blackledge was not a suitable candidate and had only applied when prompted to do so.

However, the report was unsigned and undated, making verification of authenticity impossible.

Click here to read the External Adviser Report 

Unizulu spokeswoman Gcina Nhleko responded to questions the ZO emailed to both Professor Mtose and Gamede, explaining that after the panel made recommendations to Council, a closed ballot vote was held by the selection panel and at Council, resulting in Mtose winning the majority in both.

‘Prof Mtose was approached to establish whether she would accept the nomination,’ said Nhleko.

‘She agreed and was then removed as selection panel member and replaced as per policy.

‘She did not apply for the position at all. When a suitable candidate could not be found Council recommended Prof Mtose be approached.’

Nhleko did not respond to questions asking for the exact criteria the other candidates failed to meet.

Click here to read Unizulu Response to Media

She did confirm that when the two new candidates were discussed by the selection panel, one of the external experts raised concern with the recommendation that was put to council for a head hunting process to take place.

‘She did not object in the first process and also did not object during adoption of the minutes [at the next meeting],’ said Nhleko.

‘She decided to withdraw from the process and according to the policy on the appointment of the Vice Chancellor, she was replaced with another external expert.’

ZO sources asserted however that the expert in question withdrew after a heated confrontation.

‘She basically said she did not want her name associated with the process as it was flawed and stormed out,’ said the source.

The ZO could not reach her for comment.

Under the influence

Dr Parker on Friday denied that Minister Nzimande had any involvement in the appointment of Mtose.

‘She is not an agent of the Minister and he has never issued any directives to the Vice Chancellor.

If he needs to interact with the university it would be through correspondence with the Chair of Council,’ said Parker.

Parker confirmed that Gamede was appointed to Council by the ministry, one of five individuals as per the statute, but said the Minister had never appointed a Chair of Council at a university, who are all elected from within Council.

READ: Questions and Answers DHET

‘The minister works will all institutions with an even hand,’ she said. It emerged last week that Minister Nzimande had written to Gamede in October, despite being publicly largely silent on happenings at Unizulu, slamming him and the executive for their apparent failure to bring about certain changes at the institution.

In the letter, Nzimande asked for Council to provide him with reasons as to why he should not appoint an independent assessor to conduct investigations into the affairs of the university.

The ZO is yet to establish what the outcome of this directive is.

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