UB purges professors
Oarabile Mosikare | Friday January 30, 2015 16:39
First to be purged in this line was Professor Frank Youngman, the previous deputy vice chancellor, academic affairs. Others believed to be in his firing line are Dean of Humanities, Dr Kgomotso Moahi, Dean of Education Professor Richard Tabulawa and Dean of Social Sciences Professor Happy Siphambe.
“Of these three, Prof Siphambe is seen as the greatest threat to Fako since he is the potential next vice chancellor, while Prof Tabulawa is seen as the most cantankerous, and an instigator. “Fako fears that when his contract ends it may not be renewed and he may be replaced by Prof Siphambe. “To try and thwart this, Fako has charged Prof Siphambe with gross misconduct and dragged him before a disciplinary committee.
“The aim is to threaten and tarnish Prof Siphambe’s impeccable name and record, making him unappointable as the next UB vice chancellor,” alleged a UB academic.
Prof Siphambe is suing the UB after termination of his appointment last December as Dean of Faculty of Sciences.
Siphambe wants the court to review and set aside the disciplinary proceedings against him instituted by charge letters dated June 9, 2014 and October 27, 2014.
Through his lawyer Tshiamo Rantao, Prof Simphambe wants the decision by the Human Resource Director to a written warning letter on December 4, 2014 be reviewed and set aside. “The respondents shall pay the costs of this application jointly and severally. The one paying the other to be absolved,” reads his notice of motion in part.
Another professor who has been reportedly charged with gross misconduct is Professor Thapelo Otlogetswe. The lecturers also believe that because of the university’s poor conditions of service and pay philosophy, the institution has lost some of its crème-dela crème of academics. “The few outstanding UB academics that remain are dejected, discouraged and characterised by low morale.
“They perform far much better than their counterparts across the border in the Southern African region, but they can only salivate as their counterparts in South Africa receive large salaries and benefits which surpass those of UB by at least 40%,” said a long serving professor at the UB. The university’s director of public affairs, Mhitshane Reetsang, has disputed all the allegations against the institution. Reetsang said the UB does not offer poor remuneration, although there is certainly stiff competition in this area.
“However, the university continues to review its packages so that it may attract the best employees to be able to continue to offer good service,” said Reetsang.
Reetsang would not be drawn into commenting on the alleged purging taking place at the UB. She responded that those touched on personal files of staff, which are of confidential nature “We are therefore constrained on ethical grounds to share the same with the media.”
Side bar
Meanwhile some of the UB suspensions have reached Parliament. The Selebi-Phikwe West Dithapelo Keorapetse in December asked the Ministry of Education and Skills Development if he was aware that three members of the Faculty of Social Sciences at the UB have been suspended from their positions this year. Keorapetse asked if so, what was the progress of their suspension. The assistant Minister of Education and Skills Development, Unity Dow responded that she was aware that following preliminary investigations, three members of the Social Science Faculty have been suspended from their positions.
“The Dean [Prof Happy Siphambe], and Deputy Dean [Associate Prof Rolang Majelantle] were suspended from their responsibilities and disciplinary hearings for them have been concluded.
“They will receive letters regarding the outcome by Friday 12 December 2014. The lecturer [Dr Mpho Pheko] was suspended from the university and the disciplinary hearing was interdicted by Industrial Court and we await their decision for the way forward,” Dow responded.
This publication understands that Siphambe and his deputy, Majelantle, have since been dismissed from their positions.
Siphambe has approached the High Court to invalidate his dismissal while Majelantle is still weighing his options.