The South African Students Congress (SASCO) has noted and welcomed the minister of Higher Education and Training intention to appoint an independent assessor at the Central University of Technology, Free State.
SASCO deems the ministers intervention as one which was long overdue following the allegations of factionalism within the institution coming council down to the university management, alleged maladministration, fraud allegations and corruption in general.
The intent to appoint an independent assessor comes after our organisation had been making a call to the minister to place the university under administration to restore good governance and stability within CUT, FS. Our organisation refuses to seat on the sidelines and watch the deliberate collapse of our university.
While we are represented in the university through our SRC deployee particularly in council we are concerned at the snail pace of the university through it’s council’s response to a number of issues raised by SASCO and NEHAWU including the incompetence of the exam department, maladministration of NSFAS funds, the changing of a Council resolution with the erstwhile VC Prof Henk de Jager, where a junior employee in HR was instructed by their superior to change resignation to retirement in the system. This is tantamount to fraud. One other example was the appointment of the Senior Director: legal services on a fixed term contract despite the selection committee’s decision not to make any appointment out of the candidates that were interviewed. Furthermore, we are angered by the culture of victimisation of students and workers in the institution as this seeks to silence the progressives from raising their voices against corruption within the university. The culture of instigating fear and victimisation exists where is something that needs to be hidden.
As an organisation we call on all progressives within and outside the institution to support by all means necessary our government’s intervention as we believe education is a public good and must be protected by all and sundry. SASCO will be keeping a close eye on the continuing process of the recruitment of senior management in the university such Vice Chancellor, Chief Financial Officer and Deputy Vice Chancellors.
In conclusion, SASCO is making a kind plea to the minister to move swiftly in appointing an independent assessor to investigate the affairs of CUT, FS.
Issued by SASCO
Bamanye Matiwane
President
Buthanani Thobela
Secretary General
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