- Stellenbosch University convocation president, advocate Jan Heunis, SC, has been voted out along with most of his executive committee.
- The convocation executive committee was said to have acted in an undemocratic and unconstitutional manner when handling nepotism allegations against rector and vice-chancellor, Professor Wim de Villiers.
- Vice-president Rudi Buys was excluded from the motion and he has been advised to perform the functions of the executive committee until a new one is elected.
Stellenbosch University (SU) convocation president, advocate Jan Heunis, SC, and most of his executive committee have been voted out after convocation members voted on a motion to remove them over their handling of nepotism claims against rector and vice-chancellor, Professor Wim de Villiers.
The first motion of no confidence excluded vice-president Rudi Buys.
However, Buys was the sole subject of a second motion of no confidence, which failed to garner sufficient votes.
That motion stemmed from allegations that Buys was behind a media campaign against executive committee members in the convocation, sowing division and damaging the university’s image.
After an auditing process, the first motion was adopted after it received 1 559 votes, with 811 members of the convocation voting against it. Twenty-eight people abstained from voting.
There were 943 votes in favour of the second motion, with 1 312 ballots against it. Ninety-eight people abstained.
READ | Stellenbosch University nepotism claims: Motion of no-confidence in convocation committee under way
In a nutshell, the vote outcome means that Buys remains but that Heunis and the rest of the executive committee goes.
SU said in a statement:
The members of the executive committee, excluding the vice-president, will now vacate their positions.
The convocation, which forms part of the university community, is drawn from alumni, full-time academic staff and former full-time academic staff of the university who have since retired.
The executive committee comprises five elected representatives who oversee the convocation’s operations and act as a bridge between the convocation membership and the university’s management.
News24 previously reported on allegations that De Villiers had used his discretionary powers – which allow him to make three placements annually – to give two relatives spots in the medical faculty. The second placement was withdrawn.
The first motion was based on allegations that the executive had called for the resignation of De Villiers and the registrar without consulting its members.
It was further alleged that the executive committee had acted in bad faith and contrary to the statute and rules governing convocation. Those rules require the executive to give effect to decisions of convocation.
“The behaviour and utterances of convocation’s elected members to council, specifically Jan Heunis and Leon Schreiber, is questionable and convocation calls upon the institutional bodies, particularly council, to take steps to discipline and, to the extent that it is within its power to do so, to relieve Jan Heunis and Leon Schreiber of their roles and duties as council members, including through removal, as a matter of urgency,” convocation members said in a letter to Heunis.
The convocation further advised Buys to perform the functions of the executive until a new one is elected.
“SU confirms that due process has been followed and trusts that all members of the convocation will abide by these outcomes. The university will continue to provide administrative and logistical assistance to support the convocation wherever required,” SU added in its statement.
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