The WSU Council recently welcomed five new members to its ranks amidst a series of programs aimed at educating and conscientizing the new cohort on university council-related matters.

The newly deployed incumbents include prominent figures such as council-elect, Standard Bank CEO Lungisa Fuzile, and ministerial-appointees - renowned primary healthcare physician Dr Mthembeni Tebelele, entrepreneur Sechaba Kou,  former Commissioner of the Competition Commission Tembinkosi Bonakele, as well as WSU Convocation representative, convocation president Dr Lunga Mantashe.

The aforementioned members received a substantial drilling during an intense three-day session which comprised of a council meeting chaired by Advocate Tembeka Ngcukaitobi SC, a dinner headlined by University of Johannesburg chairperson of council Mike Teke, an engagement session with higher education and training minister Dr Blade Nzimande, and an induction ceremony facilitated by executive higher education consultant Dr Derek Swemmer.

On the opening day during the Council Welcome and Farewell Dinner, deputy chair Fanisa Lamola said: “The task ahead of us as Council is a very important one because education is one of the fundamental aspects of society that drives the nation forward. Because of the geographical and socioeconomic context within which the university finds itself, our task becomes even more crucial in making sure that a certain level of equity is realized between WSU, which is situated in deeply impoverished rural areas, and the more prominent advantaged universities found in the cities.”

It was on the same evening that University of Johannesburg (UJ) council chair and CEO of Seriti Resources Holdings, Mike Teke, delivered a pointedly honest, uncompromising and sobering address to the council members wherein he flagged the most egregious and common mistakes regularly made by university councils.

In advancing his point, Teke laid bare, as anecdotal evidence, some of the trials and tribulations he's had to face during his tenure as UJ Chair of Council before he sounded a heartfelt clarion call to the council, urging them to:

• Avoid stealing from the university;
• Serve with honour and compassion in order to build and strengthen WSU as an institution of higher learning;
• Build the reserves of the university through strong and rigorous fundraising efforts;
• Re-imagine the university’s finance policies and strategies to benefit the university;
• Be transparent and declare any conflict of interests and resign from the body should it be necessary to do so as a result of such conflict

“Your work as the council is crucial because there is no country in this world that can be strong, without strong institutions. Our country right now is facing monumental problems of institutions that are breaking down. For me, there’s a huge calling that talks about the strengthening of our failing institutions, and central to that discussion is the issue of governance – an issue that’s central to the failing of our institutions,” said Teke.

A day later, during his engagement with the council, DHET minister Dr Nzimande expanded on the sentiments shared by Teke regarding governance at universities.

He pointed out that in previous cases where he’d appointed independent assessors, unacceptable and counter-productive conduct by some university Council members was reported.

Dr Nzimande said: “Unfortunately, most of this counter-productive conduct has been identified in Historically Disadvantaged Institutions. This behaviour includes, but not limited to, interference in institutional administration; exerting pressure on employees of the institution to adopt certain measures/decisions; interfered directly or sought to influence outcomes to advance their own interests or those of someone close to them; attempts to isolate or oust the Vice Chancellor (VC) when he/she is seen as a stumbling block to their efforts to control the institution; non-declaration of interest in matters in which members have a direct conflict of interest; using council meetings to pursue unrelated ‘hidden agendas’ for personal or selfish gain; arranging for exclusive meetings of smaller groups of council members, outside of the constitutional framework of council meetings, to influence council decisions; promoting factionalism in council; and disclosure of confidential information.”

He said the aforementioned counter-productive activities have caused enormous instability and undermined the effective functioning of the institutions, and thus, it’s important that governance of the university be left to the Council, and the management responsibility of the university be left to the management team.

By Thando Cezula