Staff Reporter
The Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Blade Nzimande, has directed his department to urgently look into the administrative chaos rocking the Central University of Technology (CUT).
A statement issued by the higher education department’s spokesperson, Ishmael Mnisi, said the minister is worried about the situation at the Free State institution after it suspended its vice-chancellor, Professor Henk de Jager, and the deputy vice-chancellor for resources and operations, Dr Gary Paul, over a host of issues.
“The minister has requested a detailed report from the department to ascertain facts on the prevailing situation at the institution,” read part of the statement.
According to the statement, Nzimande is worried that the situation at the CUT, which like other universities across the country is recovering from the effects of the COVID-19 lockdown, could deteriorate if not addressed urgently.
It said the situation has “the potential to affect the completion of the 2020 academic year and the beginning of the 2021 academic year at the institution”.
Following the suspension of De Jager and his deputy on different occasions last week, the chairperson of CUT Council, Boysie Phehlukwayo, and his deputy, Dr Garth Van Gensen, also tendered their resignations in the same week.
The reasons for their resignations remain unclear.
The Free Stater has gathered from different sources that there were growing concerns of a governance crisis at the institution.
It is alleged that the vice-chancellor faces allegations of unscrupulous hiring processes, the victimisation of black staff and black academics, in particular, and also the victimisation of students, among others.
Close sources say should the investigations find that there is a governance crisis at the university, it may be placed under administration to allow for the problems to be resolved.
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