The University of South Africa (UNISA) is being sued for R50 million by the former deputy vice-chancellor for an unjust appointment, Cape {town} Etc reports.
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David Mosoma, a former deputy vice-chancellor at Unisa and current council member, says he would have earned R50 million if he had been appointed as vice-chancellor in 2010.
However, Mosoma was overlooked due to a report the university used to ‘tarnish’ his image. He said he was a preferred candidate but lost the position to Mandla Makhanya.
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Tisana Madimetja, Mosoma’s lawyer, reportedly sent a letter of demand to Unisa’s current vice-chancellor, Puleng LenkaBula, on 22 November 2023.
According to News24, Mosoma and LenkaBula are close allies within the council.
The letter reportedly stated that Mosoma held a senior position within the executive management as vice-principal of Learner Support and Student Affairs and that he reported to then Vice-Chancellor Barney Pityana.
A total of 14 candidates, including Mosoma, applied for Pityana’s position in 2010. Mosoma was among the top three preferred candidates and ranked first by the delegated committee.
In a statement to the Labour Court, Mosoma explained that being chosen as the top candidate by three recommending committees led to tension with Pityana.
‘It is so because, between the selection committee meetings, I was subjected to threats and intimidation, which saw the third respondent, (Unisa) through Pityana, hurriedly making public a draft internal audit investigation report against me with the sole purpose of tarnishing my image and standing to Unisa’s community and stakeholders,’ he said.
He also mentioned that an investigative report on the 2006 appointment of Primedia to produce and distribute academic DVDs was released without his input.
He said the council met on 18 June 2010 to consider the selection committee’s recommendations before appointing Makhanya.
At the time, he accepted that due process had been followed.
‘However, Pityana proved that the selection processes, including the appointment of Makhanya, were managed by both himself and Dr [Matthews] Phosa (chairperson of council in 2010),’ he said.
‘This became apparent when Pityana penned an article in the Sunday Times, dated 28 May 2023, titled Immediate measures are required if the once-acclaimed institution is to be rescued from the brink of disaster.’
‘In this article, Pityana states: “There was none of the care with which Dr Phosa took the responsibility for succession planning as I was coming to retirement. Council identified Makhanya as a potential successor.
“He was appointed pro vice-chancellor three years before my departure and the university paid for him to undertake an advanced senior executive management course at Harvard Business School”.’
Mosoma said Pityana’s article confirmed his suspicions that the selection process was manipulated, and not fair or transparent.
‘They both [Pityana and Phosa] failed to declare or disclose the extent of their interest in having Makhanya installed as vice-chancellor. To date, there is no recorded disclosure that they both took Makhanya to Harvard and that they did so at the cost and expense of the institution.
‘In fact, Phosa entered “none” in the register, while Pityana did not enter his disclosure at all.’
However, the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) dismissed Mosomo’s case as his complaint relied on a newspaper article and that ‘the dispute arises from events that occurred a decade ago and it would be unrealistic to pursue’.
Unisa Head of Legal Vuyo Peach denied the allegations in a letter sent to Mosoma’s lawyers.
‘We have perused your client’s personnel file from [human resources] and noted that your client concluded a settlement agreement with the university on 23 May 2011, wherein his services were terminated with immediate effect…’
‘An unfair labour practice dispute cannot be raised 13 years after the fact, be it private and/or at a statutory forum.’
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Picture: Daily Sun / Christopher Moagi / Gallo Images