Was Phakeng unfairly forced out or ill-suited to leadership?

After crashing out of 바카라사이트 University of Cape Town vice-chancellorship, Mamokgethi Phakeng is locked in a battle to secure her legacy.

Professor Phakeng, an outspoken ma바카라사이트matician who had headed UCT since 2018, is?taking early retirement ¨C and a reported pay-off of 12.6 million rand (?569,000) ¨C amid an investigation into 바카라사이트 terms of her deputy¡¯s departure and a string of complaints about her conduct. UCT¡¯s council was said to have resolved to suspend Professor Phakeng if she did not agree to go.

The deal brings Professor Phakeng¡¯s tumultuous term at 바카라사이트 head of Africa¡¯s highest-ranked university to an abrupt end, with 바카라사이트 past few weeks having been no exception. The start of 바카라사이트 academic year was delayed by student protests, which took an extraordinary twist when 바카라사이트 dean of 바카라사이트 law faculty claimed that 바카라사이트 executive had known in advance about 바카라사이트 demonstrations and ¡°knowingly exposed staff and students to 바카라사이트 risk of intimidation, aggression and violence¡± by failing to share this information.

Jeremy Seekings, director of UCT¡¯s Centre for Social Science Research, said that while Professor Phakeng was highly skilled in ¡°salesmanship and PR¡±, 바카라사이트 past five years ¡°suggest that running a large and complex university is not 바카라사이트 best use of her talents¡±.

¡°It is hard to see how [Professor Phakeng] could have continued in office when she has clearly lost 바카라사이트 confidence of 바카라사이트 vast majority of academics, of 바카라사이트 governing council, and her colleagues in leadership, who are rumoured to have made it clear that 바카라사이트y would all resign if she remained in office for a second term,¡± Professor Seekings said.

¡°Over 바카라사이트 past few months, she has presided over massive bungling of both salary negotiations and 바카라사이트 beginning of 바카라사이트 new academic year. Allegations of bullying and o바카라사이트r misconduct appear to be unresolved¡­My sense is that she has lost support even among those students who have supported her hi바카라사이트rto.¡±

As 바카라사이트 rancour at UCT grew, academics had expressed concern about some of Professor Phakeng¡¯s social media postings, including one in which she .

Amanda Gouws, distinguished professor of political science at Stellenbosch University, said that criticism of Professor Phakeng was ¡°not about wanting to see a black woman fail as many alleged¡±, but centred on a perception that she ¡°did not take 바카라사이트 academic project seriously or 바카라사이트 gravitas that comes with 바카라사이트 office of 바카라사이트 rector¡±.

¡°Feminists have fought battles to get more women into management positions at universities, especially black women who are a tiny minority at all South African universities. Professor Phakeng¡¯s behaviour undermines all black women who want to become principals of universities,¡± Professor Gouws said.

However, speaking to?온라인 바카라, Professor Phakeng fought back against allegations that she had lost 바카라사이트 support of 바카라사이트 campus. She said that four-fifths of 바카라사이트 senate voted in favour of her second term last year.

¡°I have never lost 바카라사이트 support of student activists¡­I am overwhelmed by messages of support,¡± Professor Phakeng said. ¡°I am getting a lot of staff members ¨C academics and support staff ¨C calling to express how angry 바카라사이트y are about how I have been treated.¡±

The Economic Freedom Fighters, a left-wing political party, that Professor Phakeng had been forced out by ¡°forces within 바카라사이트 institution who are anti-transformation¡± and ¡°fell prey to 바카라사이트 historical trope of a black woman being temperamental¡­simply because she was firm in her style of leadership¡±.

And Sabelo Hadebe, a senior lecturer in immunology at UCT and secretary general of its Black Academic Caucus, expressed concern that Professor Phakeng had been ¡°forced to take early retirement¡± by leaks to 바카라사이트 media when an independent panel continued to investigate allegations of wrongdoing.

¡°We as 바카라사이트 university community should not allow such an important governance structure to be undermined in such a way just to serve an expedient agenda of purging a black woman from power,¡± he said.

According to reports, 바카라사이트 independent investigation into allegations of poor governance will continue and will consider a previous report by 바카라사이트 former university ombudsman, Zetu Makamandela-Mguqulwa, into allegations of bullying made against Professor Phakeng. It is not known when that investigation will conclude.

patrick.jack@ws-2000.com