News24.com | Failing leadership: Scathing Unisa report recommends council, management be 'relieved of their duties'

• Professor Themba Mosia, an independent assessor appointed to look into the affairs of Unisa, has recommended the institution be placed under administration. 
• Mosia's assessment revealed a cauldron of mismanagement, poor leadership, a lack of fiduciary oversight, maladministration and financial irregularities. 
• Several allegations were made against the Unisa principal and vice-chancellor, Professor Puleng LenkaBula.

An independent assessor has advised Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande that the management and council of the University of South Africa (Unisa) be "relieved of their duties" and the institution placed under administration.

This follows damning findings in a wide-ranging investigation into the institution's affairs. Professor Themba Mosia, the independent assessor appointed by Nzimande to investigate Unisa's affairs, completed the report into the probe in March this year.

He was appointed by the minister in September last year. Writing in the executive summary of the report, Mosia said his assessment revealed a "cauldron of instability characterised by a culture of fear, intimidation, bullying, maladministration, financial irregularities, poor student services, academic malpractices, leakage of confidential records and questionable management and council decisions".

The 309-page document details his findings on various issues, including the state of governance at the institution, the performance of management and the council, financial management, upgrades to the vice-chancellor's home, claims of intimidation and bullying, and the leaking of confidential reports.

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Mashukudu Maboa heads the council, while Professor Puleng LenkaBula is the executive leader as vice-chancellor.

Mosia said the option for the "full administration of Unisa, where both council and management are relieved of their duties", should be considered in line with the Higher Education Act.

According to the act, the administrator would take over the role, functions, powers and duties of the council and management. The administrator would also ensure that a new council was appointed and constituted per the institutional statute as soon as was possible and practical.

According to Mosia: 

In his report, Mosia said several allegations, including "mismanagement", were made against vice-chancellor LenkaBula.

"The period following the appointment of the VC in 2021, up to the conclusion of my independent assessment (March 2023), does not show any significant improvements in the governance arrangements of the university. Although some council members argued that the current council is still new, I do not agree with the argument as only a few new members were recently appointed, the majority of council members have served for a couple of years. Therefore, this does not exonerate the current council from accountability on the problems facing the university and/or numerous questionable decisions in this regard," Mosia wrote.

He said allegations that LenkaBula approved salary adjustments for staff in her office from 2007 amounting to R2.9 million were found to be true. It has also been alleged that LenkaBula was involved in refurbishing the VC's official residence.

"In respect of allegations on Cloghereen, the VC's official residence, I find that the VC had some involvement in the refurbishment of the house in that she herself said she went to some stores with staff, so that they can show her how such exorbitant prices were arrived at. On the contrary, staff that were given instructions confirmed that the VC wanted certain brand (Bosch) appliances, curtains, refrigerator and numerous others. After an expenditure exceeding R3 million, the VC has yet to move into her official residence since her appointment in January 2021."

Mosia also questioned how the council could "approve the creation of a small empire in the VC's office", adding:

Mosia found the management committee, of which LenkaBula is a senior leader, was "not working as a coherent team".

"In a number of instances, they are part of the problem themselves. I believe they lack the maturity required to effectively manage a complex university."

He further added that he did not understand how some of the members of the committee came to be "entrusted with such a colossal responsibility to run the institution of this size and depth".

"There is overwhelming evidence that the functioning and efficacy of both council and management fall below an expected standard of an effective university that looks after the best interests of its students, staff and resources," Mosia wrote.

He also recommended that the minister of higher education carefully consider the legislation change for institutions of higher learning to be subjected to the provisions of the Public Finance Management Act. 

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Mosia made several recommendations for Unisa too, including revising the student governance model, reviewing the structure of the Office of the Registrar, intensive training for the human resources department on people management, and that the senate reclaim its "status as a custodian of curriculum transformation, high academic standards, robust engagement on teaching and learning, research and innovation, social justice, social entrepreneurship, digital transformation and a caring culture for students and academic staff".

News24's sister publication City Press has reported that Unisa has confirmed receiving the report and would be studying it.

The university said it would not be commenting on the matter at this stage.