UCT crisis: Council meeting stalled as deputy chair refuses to recuse herself

Pheladi Gwangwa Photo: UCT

• UCT is holding an important council meeting on Saturday.
• Council members are set to reconsider the option of an independent investigation to probe serious allegations against Vice-Chancellor, Mamokgethi Phakeng and Council Chairperson, Babalwa Ngonyama.
• While both Ngonyoma and Phakeng have recused themselves from talks, the deputy chairperson of the council has refused to do the same. 

A University of Cape Town (UCT) council sitting to deliberate on an independent investigation against the university’s vice-chancellor Mamokgethi Phakeng and Council Chairperson, Babalwa Ngonyama, stalled on Saturday when the deputy chair of the council refused to recuse herself.

News24 understands that the council chairperson, Ngonyama, and vice-chancellor, Phakeng, both recused themselves from the council sitting but the deputy chairperson Pheladi Gwangwa – whom members did not want to preside over the meeting – outright refused.

The pair both face allegations of gross misconduct.

Council members spent the better part of the day fighting about who should chair the section of the meeting where the probe for an independent investigation was to be reconsidered.

The discussion about the independent probe, to be led by a retired judge, was set to take place late on Saturday afternoon. The council meeting kicked off at midday and by late afternoon members were still locked in ongoing talks.

Insiders told News24 they spent four and a half hours discussing whether Gwangwa should recuse herself from chairing the meeting, due to a conflict of interest. Ultimately she refused to allow the matter to go to a vote.

READ | UCT crisis: Blade Nzimande ‘concerned’, requests formal council report

Seventeen of the roughly 26 members present protested the decision.

The meeting got so heated that talks about whether the meeting should proceed or not continuously arose as a point of contention.

At one stage Gwangwa unilaterally tried to shut down the meeting – but the registrar informed her that it would be illegal.

News24 understands that council members are currently deliberating whether or not the decision taken on 6 October to establish a sub-committee to look into the matter should be rescinded. 

The Academic Union’s President, Professor Kelley Moult, previously told News24 that the union – which represents about 600 staff members – wants the meeting to be convened without the participation or undue influence of the council’s chair, deputy chair and the vice-chancellor.  

The current UCT drama relates to the apparent proliferation of non-disclosure agreements signed between Phakeng and departing senior staff. Accusations were also made against Phakeng and Ngonyama who allegedly misled the body about the departure of Associate Professor Lis Lange, who was the former deputy vice-chancellor for teaching and learning.

Ngonyama allegedly told Lange that Phakeng did not want her to continue as deputy, whereas Phakeng and Ngonyama separately told the Senate that Lange left for personal reasons.