DWAYI DECONSTRUCTS CORPORATE GOVERNANCE IN HISTORICALLY DISADVANTAGED UNIVERSITIES

In his contribution to a recently published collection of international research papers, WSU’s Director: Internationalization of Post-Secondary Education and Training, Valile Dwayi presents a bird’s eye view of the governance quandaries facing historically disadvantaged universities in South Africa.

The book, titled ‘Corporate Governance - Recent Advances and Perspectives’ was published in October 2022 by leading global publisher of journals and books, Intech Open. It gives an overview of recent developments in multiple spheres of corporate governance from the perspectives of various international scholars.

Dwayi’s contribution to the book is a chapter titled ‘Corporate Governance and Reporting in Context of Social Justice and Equity, Deconstructing the Case of Historically Disadvantaged Universities in South Africa’.

With four of South Africa’s historically disadvantaged universities as the subjects of his study, Dwayi delved into issues which have plagued the higher education system, and what in his view, ought to be done to improve the status quo.

“I conducted research about four Universities in South Africa who have been the subject of the Administration Regimes for the 2nd time post constitutional democracy in South Africa. Based on my personal reflections about what I had as a very short stint at the WSU Council in 2018, my interest has always been researching about what is claimed about corporate Governance and Leadership as based on principles of Trust, Good Reputation and Legitimacy, amongst others,” said Dwayi.

Although the functions of institutions of higher learning may be viewed as noble, Dwayi asserts in his research that the governance of universities is often relinquished to unscrupulous individuals whose only intentions are to pursue their own self-serving agendas.

Making reference to the Zondo Commission of Inquiry, Dwayi asserted that many of the challenges reported in the commission have taken place in nuanced ways within the institutions that form the basis of his study.

“The study surfaced the serious issues of reproductive outcomes when it comes to the Corporate Governance and Leadership practices, which unfortunately is regressing what should be the gains of our institutional democracy.”

“I am still bewildered by why the University Education sector didn't fall within the radar of the Zondo Commission. I am still left with abated breadth about whether the idea of University Education, and its constitutionally protected ideas about academic freedom and Institutional autonomy, qualifies to remain unmediated at the expense of what ought to be public accountability, especially for universities that depend on taxpayers' money,” he said.

According to Dwayi’s recommendations in his chapter, university education ought to be seen and function solely as the public and common good.

“The idea of University Education as the public good is central to the choices and the projects that management, leadership and government systems need to make and embark upon. The unfortunate situation is when University Education Governance bodies can find themselves on the wrong side of what should be the basic principles of integrity, including trust, good reputation and legitimacy, as reported in the Chapter,” said Dwayi.

Dwayi asserted that readers of his chapter have hailed it as both timely and timeless. His chapter can be found on WSU’s figshare platform, while the full book is available for purchase on online platforms.

By Yanga Ziwele