South Africa: placing Unisa into administration ‘long overdue’

The South African government has announced plans to place the University of South Africa (Unisa) into administration over “financial and other maladministration”.

Blade Nzimande, the higher education minister, wrote to the Unisa chair of his intention to appoint an administrator in charge of the largest open distance learning institution in Africa.

Dr Nzimande gave the council seven days to respond, and Unisa has since acknowledged receipt of the letter and said it is in the process of doing so.

“Meanwhile, Unisa management requests all staff members and students to attend to their job obligations and studies without fail,” the university said in a statement.

“The individual and collective commitment is essential to ensure the seamless progress of our academic endeavours, including teaching and learning, research, innovation, engaged scholarship, and student support.”

Under the terms of the Higher Education Act, the Unisa council will be dissolved on the appointment of an administrator.

The move comes after a report by an independent assessor, Themba Mosia, and a ministerial task team, chaired by Vincent Maphai, which advised the government to relieve the Unisa management and council of their duties.

Professor Mosia, vice-principal of the University of Pretoria, found a “cauldron of instability characterised by a culture of fear, intimidation, bullying, maladministration, financial irregularities, poor student services, academic malpractices, leakage of confidential records and questionable management and council decisions”.

“There is overwhelming evidence that the functioning and efficacy of both council and management fall below an expected standard of an effective university,” Professor Mosia concluded.

Dr Nzimande said he was satisfied that the report reveals “financial and other maladministration of a serious nature” which affected the effective functioning of Unisa.

The report claimed that the appointment of an administrator was in the best interest of Unisa and of higher education in an open and democratic society.

Unisa has been under investigation for several years without any concrete action from the government, Jonathan Jansen, distinguished professor in education at Stellenbosch University, told Times Higher Education.

“This is a first though long overdue,” he said. “It enables the minister to reboot a major public university by dealing effectively with the corruption and incompetence that undermines the effective management and administration of this massive institution that registers nearly 400,000 students.”

The government said the report, which was submitted in May, centred on an independent review of Unisa’s “mission drift – which had massive implications for the financial sustainability and future of Unisa”.

Unisa’s struggles have come amid a turbulent year for the sector, with the high-profile departures of multiple senior figures, repeated disruptions to the academic calendar, and a growing funding problem.

patrick.jack@timeshighereducation.com