By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
@UCT.
The University of Cape Town (UCT) has released the final report from the panel led by retired Supreme Court of Appeals (SCA) Judge Lex Mpati, which was kept under wraps until it was considered by council.
The council at the weekend adopted the findings and recommendations of the independent panel of investigation into a governance crisis at the institution between 2018 and 2022.
The council agreed to share the executive summary and full report for transparency, accountability and in the public interest.
The Mpati report orders public apologies to UCT staff adversely affected during the turmoil that forced them to resign.
New council chairperson, advocate Norman Arendse, apologised “unreservedly” to those staff members who suffered at the hands of former vice-chancellor Mamokgethi Phakeng. She left UCT in March with a golden handshake of R12 million.
Arendse said the council was in the process of taking remedial action and course-correcting measures in order to restore the university community and the public’s trust and confidence in UCT as a leading institution of higher learning.
“There is much to do, but we are determined to get it right,” he said.
In relation to the individuals implicated in the report, Arendse said they were deliberating an appropriate course of action. This will be done in line with UCT’s policies, procedures, and Code of Conduct.
“We are determined to use the report as a roadmap to guide us towards a future marked by accountability and transparency and a renewed commitment to strengthen the governance of the university,” he added.
In October 2022, the council established an independent panel whose work commenced in January 2023 following the highly publicised leadership struggles within its council after the early departure of Deputy Vice-Chancellor Associate Professor Lis Lange.
The independent panel of four members, headed by retired Judge Mpati as the chairperson and Judge Azhar Cachalia, was established to investigate allegations of governance issues, including claims that Phakeng and Council Chair Babalwa Ngonyama misled the Senate regarding the departure of Lange, who claimed in a letter to the Senate that she was forced out.
The report made several key recommendations to deal with governance and specific individuals, among them Ngonyama and former deputy chairperson of council, Pheladi Gwangwa.
The report recommended that Ngonyama’s conduct in failing to perform her fiduciary duty to UCT must be reported to the appropriate regulatory authorities. She is a chartered accountant.
Read the full report here: UCT independent panel of investigation report.