Unisa slams EFF criticism over ‘historic’ appointment
The EFF claims that none of the candidates short-listed for the principal and vice-chancellor post met with the posts advertised requirements.
Unisa has rejected claims by the EFF that the recent appointment of the university’s first female principal and vice-chancellor in its 147-year history was “unfair and unlawful”.
Professor Puleng LenkaBula was appointed to the post in November last year.
“We are concerned over the statement by the EFF student command,” said Unisa spokesperson Thomas Huma adding it was “riddled with conjecture, malice, distortion and innuendo”.
According to a statement by the branch secretary of the EFF student command’s Umtata branch Nceba Pangindawo, the party had obtained information that the process behind LenkaBula’s appointment was “flawed and may have been manipulated”.
“We did research on the process and the candidates shortlisted, interviewed and recommended,” said Pangindawo.
“This revealed that the job advertisement required 12 years experience in higher education, 10 years of which had to be served in an executive role.
“However, none of the shortlisted and interviewed candidates met this requirement.
“Two of the five had less than three years’ executive management experience. This simply means none of the candidates ought to have been shortlisted in the first place,” he said.
“The process was contaminated as some of the candidates appear to have met with certain members of the selection committee and council before the interview, which renders the process flawed.”
Pangindawo said this was “unethical and unfair” towards more qualified candidates.
“Certain selection committee members withdrew following their concerns about flaws in the appointing process. Two of the candidates also withdrew their candidature under concerning circumstances.”
He said any transformation had to be done within the framework of the law.
“Nobody deserves preferential treatment.”
Pangindawo said unqualified persons’ appointments “made a mockery of the struggle”.
“The current problems faced by the country are the product of the appointment of unqualified persons.”
Unisa spokesperson Huma, however, dismissed the claims as “spurious and malicious”.
He said the EFF had cast aspersions on council members and university officials’ integrity, “without providing a shred of substance and evidence”.
“It is an attempt to incite the university to engage in the court of public opinion, where there is no burden for those making the allegations to provide any proof. The university will not engage with any stakeholder in this manner.”
Huma said the university’s process for the appointment was “above board and followed a fair and lawful process and went through all the relevant institutional structures as required by institutional statute”.
He said there was an opportunity for any interested party to lodge an objection to the process followed before its finalisation and no objections were raised by anyone.
“Such unsubstantiated allegations do not only make it difficult for the university to make any meaningful intervention but also damages the Unisa brand and the reputations of officials.”
He encouraged any stakeholder who had evidence of unlawful conduct by any member of council, staff or student of the university pertaining to the process, to report it through university channels.
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