Department of Higher Education’s tolerance of alleged corruption at Unisa exposes apparent double standards
For nearly 18 months, AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit has exposed blatant mismanagement and abuses of power at Unisa that were targeted at staff who have investigated and uncovered rampant corruption plaguing the higher education institution. The unit represents Dr Reshma Mathura, Unisa’s acting Chief Financial Officer, who was suspended in April last year following baseless and malicious allegations of corruption. At the time, Mathura lawfully co-operated with a Hawks investigation into corruption at the University.
Last week, Buti Manamela, the Minister of Higher Education and Training, announced that he had established a “stabilisation and dispute resolution task team to investigate the governance crisis at the College of Cape Town”. It is reported the Minister made the decision after receiving allegations of “unfair labour practices, abuse of power, misconduct, and wasteful and irregular expenditure” levelled against Mhangarai Muswaba, the College’s Chief Executive Officer.
In May last year, the unit urged Blade Nzimande, former Minister Higher Education and Training, to intervene at Unisa, but the appeal appears to have been ignored. Now, in a letter to Manamela, Adv. Gerrie Nel, head of the Private Prosecution Unit, welcomed the Minister’s decision at the College of Cape Town as being appropriate, considering the seriousness of the allegations. “We therefore have full confidence that the Minister will treat this correspondence and allegations related to Unisa with equal seriousness and vigour.
“A clear practice has emerged whereby staff members who are incorruptible and stand in the way of Unisa management’s illegal abuse of power and illicit spending are suspended to neutralise them. The ineluctable inference is that the intention is to remove them from their positions and allow their contracts to reach its termination date and to avoid a public disciplinary process. The government’s failure to support and protect whistleblowers and those people who stand up against corruption seems to be only topical when murder is linked to these exposures.
“(These) sagas are the clearest indications yet of government’s wilful blindness to address the clear corruption and abuse of power at Unisa. Unfortunately, and perhaps a further reason for the failure to act, is Unisa’s financial support of a certain political party,” says Nel.
The unit has asked Manamela to obtain and disclose several forensic reports, but specifically a report completed by Adv. Shaun Abrahams which is believed to have cleared Mathura of any wrongdoing. A report by PWC is also believed to have recommended disciplinary action against Puleng LenkaBula, Vice-chancellor of Unisa.
Mathura’s continued suspension despite being cleared of all wrongdoing months ago is not only irrational, but malicious. It is indicative of a practice that has become widespread throughout government departments and entities, in which employees who speak out against corruption with the utmost professionalism and ethical duty are hounded out of their jobs rather than protected and promoted. Manamela has the opportunity to demonstrate the government’s stated commitment to combating widespread financial malfeasance by taking immediate steps to intervene at Unisa.
Barry Bateman, spokesperson for the unit, says it appears that Unisa commissions investigations at great cost to the institution but then buries them when they are unfavourable, particularly when they are against LenkaBula. “Unisa management forking out half a million rand to share a table with ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa at the political party’s Progressive Business Forum dinner last year could explain the Department of Higher Education turning a blind eye to allegations of rampant mismanagement and corruption at the institution. Taking action against Unisa leadership might turn off the taps to student funds making their way to ANC-aligned events.
“If Minister Buti Manamela acted quickly at the College of Cape Town after receiving a mere letter of complaint, we must accept that the mountain of forensic reports backed up by concrete evidence and witness statements will undoubtedly persuade him to take immediate action at Unisa. According to our understanding, some of the recent reports not only cleared staff who were falsely accused of wrongdoing but also recommended that action be taken against Vice-chancellor Puleng LenkaBula. Failure to act regrettably suggests that Unisa management is sheltered from disciplinary action,” concludes Bateman.
