An independent panel tasked with investigating governance failures at the University of Cape Town released its report on Wednesday, finding that former vice-chancellor Mamokgethi Phakeng exploited and encouraged racial divisions and abused executive members of staff.
The university appointed a five-member panel late last year to investigate alleged governance issues at the institution.
The panel was chaired by retired judge Lex Mpati, Judge Azhar Cachalia, Dr Patricia Hanekom and Dr Bernadette Johnson, and heard the transcribed equivalent of 3,825 pages of oral evidence from 27 witnesses, read 1,671 pages in evidence from written statements from additional witnesses, and considered a further 478 pages of documentary evidence, stretching from January 2018 to December 2022.
This follows circumstances around the departure of deputy vice-chancellor Lis Lange, together with an exodus of other senior staff members.
In addition, a number of the departing senior staff members had been forced to sign non-disclosure agreements.
“Most witnesses felt comfortable with their names being mentioned, more so after the fear of reprisal had receded with the departure of the VC and the Chairperson of Council,” the report said.
The panel found that UCT’s former deputy vice-chancellor for learning and teaching, Lis Lange, had no personal reasons to step down and that her departure was constructive dismissal.
The report went on to state that the council failed to act timeously on the issues that plagued the institution.
The report said that Phakeng “repeatedly conducted herself unprofessionally by engaging in activity that is prohibited in the UCT workplace, including using threats, intimidation, ethnic slurs, personal insults and also posting racially offensive material on social media”.
In addition, the report alleged that Phakeng’s behaviour was aided and protected by former UCT Council chair Babalwa Ngonyama’s multiple breaches of good governance and found that Ngonyama’s conduct in failing to perform her fiduciary duty to UCT was sufficiently concerning that it recommended the businesswoman should be reported to the appropriate regulatory authorities.
In addition, an apology from the current Council was issued, which recognised the truth of the panel’s conclusion that said that had the Council at the time fulfilled its governance role as required, the events that unfolded and emotional trauma to many individuals could have been avoided.
THE North Gauteng high court has ordered Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande to immediately retract his decision to place the University of SA under administration.
The judgement was handed down by the Pretoria High Court on Wednesday morning following an urgent application brought by the university.
The court’s decision comes a few days after Nzimande’s announcement last Friday that he is placing the institution under administration for 24 months and appointed former University of Johannesburg Vice-Chancellor Professor Ihron Rensburg as the administrator.
This is not Nzimande’s first attempt at wrestling the reins from the current Unisa leadership.
Earlier last month the Minister was interdicted from placing the university under administration after issuing a notice of administration following a damning assessment report by Professor Themba Mosia which allegedly found several incidents of mismanagement, financial irregularities and poor student services at the institution.
The management of the university said that the Minister’s decision was not only insensitive but also ill-timed as students were in the middle of their exams.
The Unisa Council and its VC, Prof Puleng Lenkabula, previously challenged the report and the suitability of Mosia as the legitimate person to compile the report, adding that the minister’s decision is “premature in light of pending matters before the courts”.
The university maintained that the minister was acting in contempt of the previous judgement interdicting his decision.
“The same Order reaffirms the earlier Order of Justice Adams of 24 August 2023, which ordered the minister not to take any decision pending the finalisation of the interdict application by Unisa (Case Number 2023-082535) and the minister’s undertaking not to take any decision until the application to review and set aside the Independent Assessor’s report would have been heard. This matter has not been finalised and is still before the court,” Lenkabula said.
The latest North Gauteng High Court judgement found that Nzimande’s actions to disregard the interdict was blatantly unlawful, and he was ordered to immediately retract the government gazette placing Unisa under administration.
The Minister’s actions after the report of mismanagement have been met with mixed responses with DA Shadow Minister of Higher Education, Chantel King, saying the decision was long overdue.
“Noting the court interdict to hold off on placing Unisa under administration until the outcome of court proceedings, we believe that the institution cannot be left hanging, waiting for a dragged-out court case.
“The academic programme in preparation for the 2024 academic year should not be in disarray due to the in-fighting of Unisa executives (or what is left of the executive) and staff,” King said.
At the time of publication, the Department of Higher Education and the Minister had not responded, and it is not confirmed whether the judgement will be appealed in the Supreme Court.
THE first day of the 2023 National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams on Monday went well in Gauteng Province and Education MEC Matome Chiloane said that the majority of districts had no issues in facilitating the writing of English Home Language Paper 1 and English First Additional Language Paper 1 on Monday.
Chiloane said most candidates were present and honoured all rules and regulations as expected. However, a few instances of absenteeism among full-time candidates were noted.
“In Tshwane West, the majority of full-time candidates attended. However, about eight candidates approached officials stating that they were not ready to write, two other candidates did not write and their whereabouts were unknown, which is concerning. Three other candidates were also hospitalised due to health issues, and were unable to write. “
Chiloane said in Ekurhuleni South, most full-time candidates also wrote their exams. However, one candidate was caught with a cellphone in the exam centre while he also noted that a number of candidates were absent in this region.
The MEC re-emphasised the commitments which candidates vowed to fulfil when they signed the NSC pledge and stressed that unwarranted absenteeism was unacceptable.
“Candidates are discouraged from transgressing their pledge. Candidates must always adhere to exam rules and regulations to maintain the integrity of the examinations and their future.
“All candidates must honour their exams and regulations as outlined in the pledge. Therefore, unwarranted absenteeism is unacceptable”.
The start of the exams was marred by a suicide where a full-time candidate from Unity Secondary School in Daveyton, Ekurhuleni tragically took her own life by allegedly poisoning herself on Sunday, 29 October 2023, a day before the exams.
In the light of the tragic incident, Chiloane reminded candidates of the Mental Health pledge they signed, urging them to reach out to the support structures and resources made available in instances where they might be facing internal difficulties during these exams.
Such structures include Childline, which can be contacted by dialling 116; and the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG), which is available on all telephonic and online platforms.
“Despite the first day of exams having gone smoothly in Gauteng, we are devastated by the loss of one candidate who took her own life just before her first exam. We wish to convey our sincerest condolences to her family and the school community at large.
“Learners are urged to use our available structures to express any issues they are facing, our officials are more than happy to help.
Candidates are also encouraged to honour their commitments to these exams and refrain from being absent,” said Chiloane.
Which school did you attend? I attended Emsengeni Primary School briefly in 2003.
Who was your favourite teacher? My favourite teacher (Mr Eric Songwiqi) stood by me during my schooling years. He was more than just a teacher; he was a mentor, a support system. He moved me from one township school to another and was always there for me whenever I needed him. He even played the role of a father figure in my life. He took me to every sports trial and always encouraged me.
What subject did he teach? He didn’t really teach me a specific subject per se. He supported my rugby development. He was there as a guiding figure, mentoring me through my life and my schooling years.
Did you look forward to your sessions with him?
Absolutely, I looked forward to every training session with him. He always had words of encouragement for us, it was about something other than a subject in a classroom. He gave lots of practical life advice.
What was he like? He was always kind, loving, and supportive, and he went out of his way to make sure I had what I needed. But he also knew when to be firm and when discipline was needed. He was everything that I needed.
What was your favourite subject at school? My favourite subject at school was maths. I was actually one of the top students in the class for that subject until I moved to Grey High School
Did your love for the game influence your career choice? My passion for rugby influenced my choice of career. That being said, I struggled later with maths in school. I do wish I had focused a little bit more in school and persevered with my academics because I believe that would add more value to what I do after rugby as well.
What phrase from your teacher stuck with you? The phrase that stuck with me was, “Believe in your dreams, work as hard as you can, and protect them with everything you have.” This was told to me by Mr Songwiqi and has stayed with me throughout my life.
Have you remained in contact with your teacher? Yes, I have kept in touch with him. We even spoke recently about him, and I am working together to help more kids from the community I grew up in the same way he helped me.
Have you met since your school days? The first meeting with him, outside of a classroom setting, always gets me emotional. We’ve done a lot together and seeing him still brings up many emotions. He’s a special person in my life.
Describe the influence of teachers on society. Teachers are incredibly important to society. They spend the most time with kids and have a significant influence on them. They can provide positive encouragement and energy that a child might not be getting at home. I know teachers often don’t get the credit they deserve, but they play a massive role in giving kids hope and support.
What advice would you give youngsters wanting to be a success? My advice to anyone wanting to reach for and achieve their dreams would be not to let your environment dictate your dreams.
It’s hard sometimes to see past your current situation, but you can find hope in people from the same environment as you. Work as hard as you can with what you have around you before looking for what you don’t have. Surround yourself with positive people, and don’t let the struggles of others bring you down. Keep working, no matter how big or small your goals may be.
Kolisi shares memories of his favourite teacher Through his foundation, the first Black Springbok captain to hold the Rugby World Cup, Siya Kolisi, plays a vital role behind the scenes in tackling inequality in South Africa. The Kolisi Foundation was established in April 2020, a month after the COVID-19 pandemic left the country and the globe in lockdown.
With a vision by Springbok World Cup winning captain Siya Kolisi and his wife, Kolisi Foundation CEO Rachel, to impact vulnerable and under-resourced communities in South Africa, the foundation has made a difference, particularly in several areas of need, namely, food security, gender-based violence and education and sports development.
“After the Springboks won the Rugby World Cup in 2019, we knew we wanted to do something great for South Africa and use that responsibility for something good,” said the Kolisis.
The Foundation unites organisations to mobilise resources and strengthen infrastructure and learning. To help communities thrive, they aim to bring about systemic change by creating safe spaces through sport and education, addressing gender-based violence, and contributing to food sustainability.
Their mission is underpinned around three integrated strategic focus areas based on Siya’s lived experience: Food Security, Gender-Based Violence, and Education and Sports Development.
In particular, the work has been strengthened around food security: Adopt a Community Kitchen, Gender-Based Violence: Kolisi Connect, and Power2You packs, with an empowerment component being developed. Critically, the impact has been significant in Education and Sports Development via the flagship Siyaphakama Zwide Schools Project.
As part of this initiative, six Zwide schools, identified as key to materialising the vision laid out by Rachel and Siya, have been supported on an ongoing basis as part of the Kolisi Foundation Education and Sports flagship project. The six schools are Emsengeni Primary School (Siya’s primary school), Isaac Booi Primary School, Daniels Lower Primary, Sithembile Junior School, Garret Primary School and Ubuntu Pathways Primary School.
Notably, the foundation has also tackled the food security issue head-on through its nutrition programme at the six schools, with the engagement of food preparers in training workshops around basic knowledge of nutrition, health, and hygiene.
This includes completing baseline nutritional status assessments of learners at all six schools.
Community kitchens are becoming critical spaces where communities can connect and exchange. They are also places where norms are queried, transformation is spearheaded, dialogues around food are happening, and advocates’ voices for changing existing food systems are heard.
The Foundation is committed to a more holistic approach to fighting hunger.
Finally, regarding the pressing gender-based violence pandemic, the Foundation partnered with The Saartjie Baartman Centre for Women and Children to conceptualise and create a facility to serve therapeutic needs through counselling, therapy reflection, reading, and journaling. Most importantly, it is also a supportive and healing space for mothers and children to spend quality time together.
“It has been a year of impact and making a difference in communities that need it most. However, our work is by no means complete, and we encourage society and corporates to work with us to help create the better society we want,” said the Kolisis.
For more information, please visit kolisi-foundation.org
“Focus, focus and focus. Study, study and study… there are no shortcuts to success,” This was a message from Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane to the Matric Class of 2023 ahead of this year’s final exams- starting on 30 October.
In an exclusive interview with Inside Education, Chiloane was upbeat and confident that the “resilient” class of 2023 in Gauteng, will do well in their final exams.
“I know they are going to the final NSC (National Senior Certificate) Exams and have just been through their prelims. I want to say to them that the prelims set the tone. Within the prelims, you know where to improve; you see where the challenges are.
The prelims are supposed to encourage you to improve in areas where you have not done well,” said Chiloane, who has previously vowed to reclaim the crown by returning Gauteng to the top position in terms of the matric pass rate.
The last time Gauteng was announced as the top performing province by Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga was in 2018 with 87,9% pass rate. The Free State province has dominated the top matric results position for the past four years, with Gauteng having to settle for second position.
In 2022, Gauteng managed a pass rate of 84,4%, while Free State, under the leadership of the late Education MEC Tate Makgoe, achieved a pass rate of 85,7%.
Chiloane is adamant that his department will improve the matric pass rate for Gauteng to 90% and the Bachelor pass rate to 50%.
“The Matric Class for 2022 [in Gauteng] did a sterling job by achieving a pass rate of 84.4% which represents an improvement of 1.6% as compared to the 82.8% pass rate that was obtained in 2021.
In 2022 there was a total of 43 298 distinctions, which saw over 20 769 distinctions came from township schools. which is a “monumental achievement”. The GDE pass rate has consistently been higher than the national pass rate and this trend continues,” said Chiloane.
He said one of the greatest achievements to note was the progress made by Gauteng in closing the gap between former model C and township schools’ pass rate from 12% to 9%.
“In the 2022 NSC examination, 24 learners from township schools received total marks in Mathematics, Business Economics and Economics. In 2023, the department endeavour to improve the matric pass rate for Gauteng to 90% and the bachelor pass rate to 50%, with specific emphasis in reducing the difference in NSC pass rate between township and ex-Model C schools to 7%.
Further emphasis will be placed on increasing learner participation in Mathematics and Science and ensuring that 21.5% of learners are achieving 60% and above in Physical Sciences and 17.5% of learners are achieving 60% and above in Mathematics,” said Chiloane.
Chilaone encouraged the more than 200 000 Grade 12 learners expected to sit for their senior certificate exams in Gauteng to study harder.
“You have gone 12 years at this point; it’s just one more lap you have to run, and you have prepared for 12 years for that lap. There is nothing to fear. You have to get there, study hard, cut social media, cut things that will distract you, focus, and focus, research and study. There is no shortcut to this. Studying hard is the only way. And I believe in you all that you will make it.
Chiloane also had a word of encouragement for the Grade 12 learners from more than 400 Secondary Schools Improvement Programme (SSIP) to take advantage of the extra tuition offered by the department.
The SSIP, which is now in its thirteenth year of operation, focuses on improving learner performance in the FET Phase (Grades 10-12), with the aim of improving the learner performance in Gauteng. The Grade 12 programme offers support to 446 priority underperforming schools, who performed under 80% in the 2022 National Senior Certificate examinations.
The programme includes supplementary tuition on Saturdays at 289 walk-in sites, during school holidays at 15 residential camps across all districts and in the period running up to the end of year exams for about 15 000 Grade 12 learners. Support is offered in thirteen (13) core subject areas – Mathematics, Technical Maths, Mathematical Literacy, Physical Science, Technical Science, Accounting, Business Studies, Economics, Geography, History, English First Additional Language (FAL) and Home Languages.
Additional training is offered to 1 200 FET teachers.
“The advantage of these classes is the one-on-one engagement with tutors … They can monitor and teach them how to score marks in the exam and prepare for exams. Learners are also taught to have confidence when they enter into exams. If you are not confident about yourself, you will probably fail. All in all, it’s about focusing on areas where they need support,” said Chiloane.
The North-West University (NWU) has bestowed an honorary doctorate on Prof Herman Hubert van der Spuy for his exceptional contributions that have helped shape the South African musical landscape.
Prof Van der Spuy’s influence and contributions as an adjudicator, examiner and adviser at music institutions throughout South Africa earned him this recognition on 26 October.
“This honorary doctorate came very unexpectedly, and I consider it the biggest recognition in my career. I have always wanted to complete another doctorate, and when this came, I felt fulfilled. I have worked with students from various universities throughout my career, including with many talented master’s degree and doctoral students from the NWU, and this makes it even more special,” says Prof Van der Spuy.
Throughout his career, Prof Van der Spuy has made outstanding contributions in the field of music, and he has had an enormous influence through his expertise and involvement. His experience in examining different instruments and voices has made him a particularly versatile examiner with profound knowledge and insight.
He has contributed significantly to developing talented young South African musicians, as exemplified by his work as a former director of Unisa’s Directorate Music.
His leadership is credited with helping to build Unisa’s graded music exam system to the point where it was able to hold approximately 10,000 certificate examinations and 800 licentiate examinations.
Through initiatives such as the Hubert van der Spuy National Music Competition, which carries his name, South African children of all backgrounds have had opportunities to showcase their musical abilities.
His involvement in music extends to having been the former editor of Musicus, the journal of Unisa’s Directorate Music, an adjudicator of music competitions and an external examiner and adviser to several university music departments in the country. This includes the NWU’s School of Music.
Prof Van der Spuy has been an honorary member of the South African Society of Music Teachers since 2003, after serving as president for four terms.
On Monday Grade 12 exams went off to a smooth and a great start as the pupils sat for their first English paper in all provinces after Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga had said the department had enhanced security measures to prevent paper leaks in all nine provinces.
Briefing media in Tshwane ahead of the 2023 matric exams, Motshekga said the State Security Agency has also audited all security enhancement processes.
“Provincial Education Departments (PEDs) must follow standard operating procedures training storage point managers in security protocols. Moreover, specific collection times for question papers by chief invigilators have been established to deter early access. Each PED has its own irregularity committee to anticipate and mitigate the crisis,” she said.
South Africa also returns to Stage 2 load shedding after weeks of uninterrupted power supply and to mitigate the challenge of the energy crisis, Motshekga said all PEDs and schools have devised contingency plans, including backup generators.
Motshekga said that the Computer Applications Technology (CAT) and Information Technology (IT) Paper 1 examinations were conducted last week without power issues, with isolated incidents, adding that the affected candidates were isolated and managed.
The department will offer a backup paper if needed due to power interruptions, she said.
In South African Sign Language Home Language (SASL HL), candidates’ laptops will be fully charged before each examination commences, and backup power supply measures have been implemented.
Over a million matric candidates in both private and public schools registered for the final examinations across 6,898 centres nationwide.
Motshekga said the figures are not mere statistics; they embody the aspirations, dreams, and relentless efforts of our Grade 12 learners.
“They stand as a testament to the resilience of our students and the continuous dedication of the Department of Basic Education in providing them with a platform to succeed.”
“When we compare this year’s figures to 2022, we observe a gradual decrease in the number of candidates, 34,626 candidates, and this could be attributed to the fact that more candidates complete their qualifications on time,” she said.
There has been an increase in part-time learners from 168 631 in 2022 to 181 143 in 2023 (an increase of 12 512).
A total of 207 question papers, 72 500 invigilators and 52 500 markers will drive the examination process.
The quality assurance body Umalusi has approved all question papers to be administered in the 2023 Examinations and given the nod to the exams.
Motshekga monitored the first day of the matric examinations in Ekurhuleni, Gauteng, on Monday.
Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane joined her.
In the Northern Cape, Education MEC Zolile Monakali and Acting Head of the Department Gideon Oliphant monitored the start of the 2023 National Senior Certificate Examinations at Tetlanyo High School in Kimberley.
MEC Zolile Monakali.
The Deputy Minister of Basic Education, Dr Regina Mhaule along with KwaZulu-Natal Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube, as well KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Education Mbali Frazer monitored the 2023 National Senior Certificate Examinations on Monday in Umlazi District.
The matric class of 2023 wrote English P1 at 09h00 which is their first sitting for the 2023 NSC Examinations.
Frazer took the opportunity to encourage candidates and gave them advice on how they could tackle the examinations: “You’ve worked very hard throughout the year, these exams should not scare you because you are well prepared. Just relax, take your time,read and understand the questions before you answer,” said Frazer.
She expressed her satisfaction about the smooth start of the examinations in the entire province of KwaZulu-Natal.
All examination centres did not report any problems or disruptions during the start of exams. Premier Dube-Ncube said the KZN Department of Education did everything to ensure that there was an educator in every classroom during the 2023 academic year.
Mhaule expressed her satisfaction with all the efforts made by the KZN Department of Education to help the schools that did not perform well during the 2022 NSC Exams.
“I chose to come to KZN because because this is a big province for us as the Department of Education. I am here to support MEC Frazer in the good work she is doing together with the officials of the Department,” said Mhaule.
Unisa has approached the courts on an urgent basis to challenge Higher Education, Science and Innovation Minister Blade Nzimande’s appointment of Professor Ihron Rensburg as the administrator of the institution after Nzimande dissolved the Unisa council.
In a statement, Unisa said the university remains firm on the view that Nzimande’s announcement in a Government Gazette dated 27 October wherein he published the appointment of the administrator, was in contempt of a court order issued on 6 October 2023.
Nzimande said his appointment of the administrator was in line with Section 49B of the Higher Education Act (Act 101 of 19917, as amended.
However, Unisa has contended that the Minister’s actions were premature; the matter had not been finalised and was still before the court.
“The university remains firm on the view that the Minister’s announcement is premature and in contempt of the court order of 6 October 2023 by [Judge Harshila] Kooverjie that interdicted him from placing the university under administration.
“The same order reaffirms the earlier order of [Judge Leicester] Adams of 24 August 2023, which ordered the Minister not to take any decision pending the finalisation of the interdict application by Unisa, and the Minister’s undertaking not to take any decision until the application to review and set aside the independent assessor’s report would have been heard.
“The university is also of the strong view that the announcement of the minister’s decision at the time when our students are in the middle of examinations is ill-timed and insensitive.
Nzimande’s appointment of Rensburg as the administrator comes after the recommendations of independent assessor Professor Themba Mosia and the report of a ministerial task team headed by Vincent Maphai.
Mosia’s report found financial and other maladministration of a serious nature that undermined the university’s effective functioning.
Nzimande’s spokesperson Ishmael Mnisi said the Minister had carefully considered Mosia’s findings and recommendations as well as responses from the council and other stakeholders.
“The assessor’s report followed the report of the ministerial task team of August 2021 into the review of Unisa, which also raised serious concerns about the state of administration and governance as well as the quality and sustainability of Unisa as one of South Africa’s most important universities.
“There are strong overlaps and areas of strategic convergence in the findings and recommendations of the reports of the independent assessor and the ministerial task team,” Mnisi said.
Mnisi added that the ministerial task team concluded that, based on the evidence presented to it, Unisa suffers chronic management failures in many of its key support systems and the council was identified as the root cause of the university’s problems.
Nzimande also dissolved the council of the university.
Rensburg has previously served as the Vice-chancellor and Principal of the University of Johannesburg and as the administrator of the Vaal University of Technology in 2021.
“As Unisa administrator, Prof. Rensburg’s appointment is for a 24-month period,” said Mnisi.
“Rensburg will report to the Minister or any delegated officials in the Department of Higher Education and Training in writing on a biannual basis.
“At the completion of his appointment period, he is expected to submit a written report to the Minister within 30 days”.
The delivery of innovative Artificial Intelligence (AI) training through a partnership between Microsoft South Africa and Youth Employment Service (YES) will see 300 000 young South Africans empowered with digital skills, fostering a future of innovation driving employability and economic growth.
The AI Youth Training Platform is an extension of a long-term relationship between Microsoft and YES and was lauded at Monday’s Microsoft South Africa’s A New Era with AI event, which took place in Sandton, as a critical game changer amongst more than 1 000 IT professionals and developers who are leading the charge on AI transformation within the country.
YES and Microsoft curated and developed bespoke training material, creating a training path that addresses the different levels of AI and computer science exposure. The platform is designed to enable all young people to get access to, and awareness of AI – and build skills from Novice through to Expert level.
For many, the world of AI is foreign. Recognising this gap, the introductory AI learning module was designed to provide an entry-level view of AI to the youth, focusing on highlighting the purpose and value of AI to students in a practical yet accessible manner.
“This collaborative effort with Microsoft is a testament to our ongoing commitment to equipping the youth with the digital skills for future-facing sectors and careers. The significant number of beneficiaries underscores the scale of impact we want to achieve through this partnership,” says Ravi Naidoo, CEO of YES.
From a practical level, this partnership is geared towards creating a surge in job creation and enhanced employability to make significant strides for the country to create a more digitally inclusive economy.
“Together with YES, we are not only addressing the pressing issue of youth unemployment but also helping create a culture of innovation and employability through digital capability building. Microsoft’s approach to AI is based on meaningful innovation, empowering people, and responsibility.
“This partnership delivers on these three pillars as the means to grow a new talent pool for digital businesses to tap into not only in South Africa, but the rest of the world,” says Lillian Barnard, President for Microsoft Africa.
As young people exit the formal training programme at YES, they will have not only an awareness of how AI can improve how they work and how this could become a career or profession moving forward.
Participants who complete the AI Expert Module and who meet key criteria, will be eligible for certification.
