Cape Town – Ahead of an emergency UCT council meeting today, the Black Academic Caucus (BAC) has called on UCT's decision-makers to be bold on transformation, and provide a clear road map on how to handle issues of senior leadership appointments and replacements.
At the weekend, reports emerged that after a week of high drama with the controversial acting appointment of retired Emeritus Professor Martin Hall, to replace Professor Loretta Feris as deputy vice-chancellor (DVC) for transformation, which led to the shock resignation of convocation president Eddy Maloka on Thursday, a student had died in the health sciences faculty – where the former dean, Professor Bongani Mayosi, took his life in July 2018.
It was reported that, in his resignation letter, Maloka said the recent events on campus had “shaken” him and he was unable to reason how a black female DVC came to vacate her post unceremoniously.
When asked yesterday if the council meeting will discuss the issue of the acting DVC for transformation, UCT said: "The UCT council is giving the matter the attention needed and will meet shortly to discuss the many issues raised regarding this."
The university was not able to answer further questions by the time of publication.
In a statement yesterday, the BAC said notwithstanding the fact that this was an acting appointment, it remained concerned with the appointment of a retired white male to the vacant position of DVC.
“This, especially when UCT has so many talented and suitably qualified internal candidates who could have been appointed to this very important office.”
The BAC said the university missed an opportunity to implement clear succession planning and career advancement processes, as recommended in the Mayosi report.
“The BAC calls on the UCT council to be bold on transformation and give a clear road map on how to handle issues of senior leadership appointments, replacements, and development, in a manner that is transparent and supports the mandatory transformation imperatives.
“The BAC also remains gravely concerned with the recent departure of black leaders in senior management positions, including the resignation of the president of convocation.
’’This is happening at a time when it was felt that UCT was making progress in transforming and diversifying the senior leadership/management sector of the university.”
The BAC called on the UCT council to address issues that seem to be driving an “exodus” of senior leaders.
SRC president Declan Dyer reiterated the stance of the SRC against the acting appointment of a white man to oversee transformation at UCT.
“We encourage (UCT council) to apply its mind based on the facts available,” Dyer said.
Cape Times