Cape Town - All eyes will be on retired Professor Daya Reddy as he takes the reins as UCT’s interim vice-chancellor (VC) amid ongoing student protest action.
Reddy is expected to serve in the role for about six months from Tuesday.
This after the VC position became vacant on March 3 when Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng left office, following months of a messy battle with Council, which led to Phakeng being placed on leave and an early exit settlement agreement.
Deputy vice-chancellor for Research and Internationalisation, Professor Sue Harrison, had been appointed to act as the vice-chancellor.
Reddy served on three occasions as an acting deputy vice-chancellor and three terms on the university’s Council as a member elected by the senate.
According to UCT Council chairperson Babalwa Ngonyama, the decision to appoint Reddy was made after a special meeting held last Monday following consultations with the senate and after seeking the advice of the Institutional Forum.
The professor has been with UCT for about 42 years and returned after leaving the institution in 2020.
“He enjoys considerable recognition nationally and internationally as a researcher, and has received multiple awards in recognition of his scholarly work.
“We thank Professor Reddy for availing himself for this role and we warmly welcome him back to UCT.
I am sure we will all offer him our support during his interim tenure,” said Ngonyama.
In dealing with academic disruptions that continued on Monday and saw UCT’s shuttle services not operating, Ngonyama said an externally facilitated mediation process would urgently commence between UCT management and the Students’ Representative Council to find an agreed basis over the students' challenges.
She said the decision was made at a Council plenary meeting on Saturday.
“There is an in-principle agreement that peace marshals will be deployed on campus as necessary.
We commit to ensuring that this mediation process is concluded as speedily as possible, recognising the urgency with which this matter has to be handled so that all students can participate in teaching and learning,” she said.
Meanwhile, two UCT students, Moyani Mabavhana and Siphamandla Njenxa, appeared at the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court where they were granted bail set at R1 000 each and their case was postponed until April 21 for further investigation.
They were arrested for the contravention of a court order, and assault during last week’s demonstrations where students clashed with police.
Cape Times