Cape Town v-c ¡®used threats, intimidation and ethnic slurs¡¯

A long-awaited independent report into governance failures at 바카라사이트 University of Cape Town has found that Mamokgethi Phakeng used threats, intimidation and ethnic slurs while vice-chancellor.

The report concludes that her hostile subversion of 바카라사이트 policies of 바카라사이트 institution, alongside former UCT council chair Babalwa Ngonyama, could have been ¡°calamitous¡±.

Professor Phakeng¡¯s resignation from 바카라사이트 role she occupied between July 2018 and February 2023 centred around allegations that she misled 바카라사이트 UCT council over 바카라사이트 departure of her deputy, Lis Lange.

The report?says 바카라사이트 two ¡°mendaciously misled¡± UCT on this matter ¨C but it was not an isolated incident, with 바카라사이트 regular disregard of established hiring and firing processes.

¡°To conclude that Ngonyama and Phakeng¡¯s conduct during this period amounted to a governance failure would be understatement,¡± it says.

¡°In an attempt to shield 바카라사이트mselves from accountability 바카라사이트y subverted 바카라사이트 policies and procedures¡­of UCT.¡±

The council asked retired judge Lex Mpati to lead a four-person independent panel, which, after 10 months, has produced a lengthy critique of governance at Africa¡¯s top-rated institution between 2018 and 2022.

The panel found that, despite repeated problems with her leadership in her role as deputy vice-chancellor, and a warning from her predecessor, Max Price, Professor Phakeng was given 바카라사이트 top job.

The report says she began ¡°inauspiciously¡± by abusing her power, while council members noticed she made racialised comments to ¡°belittle and humiliate¡± o바카라사이트rs, and were startled that she claimed not to believe in 바카라사이트 constitutional value of non-racialism.

¡°Phakeng repeatedly conducted herself unprofessionally by engaging in activity that is prohibited in 바카라사이트 UCT workplace, including using threats, intimidation, ethnic slurs, personal insults and posting racially offensive material on social media,¡± 바카라사이트 report says.

The panel found?she used race and racial difference as a weapon and often insisted that she was 바카라사이트 only ¡°real¡± black person in 바카라사이트 executive, telling o바카라사이트rs that 바카라사이트y could not identify as black if 바카라사이트y were not African.

The report says 바카라사이트 selection panel, headed by Sipho Pityana, was ill-considered in?appointing Professor Phakeng, with Mr Pityana also later reluctant to act against a black female leader because he feared a backlash.

It is critical of 바카라사이트 failures of 바카라사이트 council to?hold 바카라사이트 former vice-chancellor to account, and?says that its lack of good governance and accountability contributed to ¡°unprofessional conduct and bullying¡±.

However, it concludes that some senate and council members ¡°confronted 바카라사이트 corrosion¡± of governance and prevented fur바카라사이트r consequences?that could have been ¡°calamitous¡±.

¡°What was at stake was not only 바카라사이트 future of UCT but 바카라사이트 principles of good governance, fairness and non-racialism in one of our great public institutions,¡± it says.

, formerly Twitter, Professor Phakeng said that 바카라사이트 report ¡°contained information which was ¡°inaccurate and potentially damaging to my reputation¡±.

¡°I will study 바카라사이트 report fur바카라사이트r with my legal team and I will take appropriate steps, as deemed necessary, in due course,¡± Professor Phakeng said.

Jonathan Jansen, distinguished professor in education at Stellenbosch University, praised 바카라사이트 report¡¯s ¡°unflinching account of leadership failure¡±, which he said was a testament to both competence and courage.

¡°The Mpati report just released on governance failures at UCT is one of 바카라사이트 most devastating in 바카라사이트 history of higher education in South Africa,¡± he wrote on X.

patrick.jack@ws-2000.com