Embattled varsities 'improving'

DHET Director-General Gwebinkundla Qonde said the situation at the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), Walter Sisulu University (WSU) and University of Zululand has improved.

TUT was placed under administration in August last year after allegations that vice-chancellor Professor Johnny Molefe used a revoked evaluation certificate to apply for the job.

"TUT has stabilised tremendously... quite a number of contracts processed through flawed-procurement processes have been stopped," Qonde said.

Serious problems in governance and management, stemming from the human resource portfolio, were also identified at the institution.

Additionally, Qonde said there were no chaotic registrations reported at all three institutions this year, as it has always been the case in the past. Critical positions have also been filled.

"The administrators in [all] institutions are hard at work," he said, whilst appraising the impact of the turnaround strategies implemented at these institutions.

The University of Zululand and WSU were also placed under administration in April and November respectively, due to financial mismanagement and operational problems, among others.

Fully Functional

DHET Minister Dr Blade Nzimande said the University of Zululand was now fully functional.

"Renewed emphasis is placed on good governance and efforts are afoot to refocus the university on its core tasks..." Nzimande said.

"We will be acting very firmly to restore the integrity of these universities," he said, adding that the department would leave no stone unturned in its investigations.

"We think that any wrong doing is an attack on the basic rights that every South African citizen has in regard to the attainment of education."

The minister said the department "would like to reiterate that councils and management of all our universities, and other institutions of higher education and training, are compelled to implement systems that will ensure and promote ethical conduct, fairness and transparency in institutions".

Meanwhile, 15 staff members and students at the University of Zululand are facing criminal cases and disciplinary action after a forensic investigation into the university's affairs has been concluded.