University of Cape Town (UCT) Ombud Zetu Makamandela-Mguqulwa has been suspended. She published a report which said that 663 people had complained about issues related to UCT and 37 had complained about the conduct of the Vice-Chancellor Mamokgethi Phakeng.
The complainants alleged that they felt “bullied, silenced, undermined, rebuked and/or treated unfairly”. The Ombud labelled the Vice-Chancellor a “bully”.
The Ombud has been put under pressure to amend her report by Babalwa Ngonyama, chairperson of the UCT council. Ngonyama has also been trying to mend the relationship between the two women.
As a result of her refusal to amend her report, Makamandela-Mguqulwa was suspended by registrar Royston Pillay last week. The suspension letter noted she was being charged with “misconduct”. Ngonyama advised the Council that she was a “law unto herself”.
Now the National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) – the country’s largest public sector union, has called for the removal of the Vice-Chancellor over her “perceived silence on racism and sexism on campus, and the university’s slow transformation process under her watch.” Busobegwe Magadla, Nehawu Ikapa South Regional Chair, said, “if you are standing in the way of transformation, we will crush you and get rid of you”.
There were allegations of racism and bullying against postgraduate female student surgeons and registrars within traditionally white surgical divisions at Groote Schuur.
In March 2020, a top female African dermatologist was overlooked for the position of Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences in favour of Associate Professor Lionel Green-Thompson. Green-Thompson is Coloured.
The Commission on Gender Equality is investigating a complaint of racism at Groote Schuur and UCT.