By Thapelo Molefe
A whistleblower complaint has led the Public Protector to find that Unisa irregularly appointed retired employee Johannes Peu Matlala to a senior security post, bypassing the university’s own rules in what was deemed maladministration.
The findings relate to Matlala’s appointment as manager of physical security services on a fixed-term contract after he had already retired from the University of South Africa.
ALSO READ: Summit calls for stronger standards and support in ECD sector
Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka found the allegations were substantiated, concluding that the appointment process did not comply with Unisa’s own procedures for contract and fixed-term appointments and amounted to maladministration.
At the centre of the findings is the conduct of the university’s Vice-Principal for Operations and Facilities, Matsiababa Motebele, who initiated and approved the process that led to Matlala’s appointment, raising concerns about impartiality and internal oversight.
“The conduct ‘failed to maintain a high standard of professional ethics, accountability and transparency,’” the Public Protector said.
Matlala, a long-serving Unisa employee, had already retired after reaching the age of 65, yet was brought back into the institution through a fixed-term contract that did not follow prescribed procedures.
The Public Protector said the case highlights how breakdowns in governance processes can occur even in the absence of overt corruption.
“The issue is not always corruption in its most obvious form, but the steady breakdown of governance processes,” Gcaleka said.
ALSO READ: Manamela tells summit SA education system must produce job creators
“Preventive governance is more effective, and these can be achieved if government institutions strengthen internal controls and oversight and ensure compliance with legislation and policies.”
“These reports validate the Public Protector’s role in upholding accountability while recognising good-faith corrective steps by institutions,” the report states.
“Where systemic issues recur, the emphasis is on sustainable reforms rather than isolated sanctions.”
Following the findings, Unisa Vice-Chancellor Puleng LenkaBula was directed to implement corrective measures and take disciplinary steps against those responsible for the flawed appointment process.
The report forms part of the Public Protector’s fourth-quarter releases for the 2025/2026 financial year and has been published on the watchdog’s website.
