Prof quits over cabal

2003-06-22 18:17

Wonder Hlongwa

Durban - The students' representative council (SRC) of the University of Durban-Westville (UDW) has come out in full support of its embattled rector, Saths Cooper, who last week came under fire from Professor Pitika Ntuli.

Ntuli resigned as dean of students on Wednesday, accusing Cooper of surrounding himself with an "ethno-Indian" cabal. He said he could no longer tolerate being a "token black".

Of the 18 members of the university's executive management, two are white, one is coloured, five are African and 10 Indian. The university is due to merge with the University of Natal next year.

Ntuli accused Cooper of manipulating students, saying SRC president Thulani Dube once approached him (Ntuli) for advice when Dube was being persuaded to sign a letter purportedly requesting the extension of Cooper's term of office, which ends later this year.

Ntuli, who is also the chair of the African Renaissance Institute in KwaZulu-Natal, said Cooper had undermined him by reinstating a student suspended for fraud without telling him (Ntuli) as dean of students.

At the weekend Dube lashed out at Ntuli, saying he was "lying" when he said Dube approached him (Ntuli) for advice. Dube said there was no need for him to sign a letter for the extension of Cooper's term as it was up to the university council to decide whether to renew his contract.

He said it was not true that Ntuli was undermined in the reinstatement of a suspended student, saying the reinstatement decision was taken in Ntuli's presence.

"There was no need for him to be informed because the decision was taken in his presence. The rector (Cooper) and I were also there," said Dube.

Ntuli stood by his words, saying it was "frightening" for Dube to deny truths.

Immediately after Ntuli's resignation, the former head of the African languages department, Professor Phyllis Zungu, replaced him.

"I have been at this university for 21 years. I have seen five vice- chancellors come and go. I never thought the day would come when I would be made a dean," Zungu said.

Cooper shocked the academic fraternity earlier this year when out of 10 senior management appointments he appointed eight Indians, one African and one coloured.

Kader Asmal

Education Minister Kader Asmall, who visited UDW to assess progress made on the merger, refused to comment about the latest crisis at the institution.

"The minister only went there to talk about the merger. The resignation of Professor Ntuli was not part of the agenda and since it's a managerial problem, it should be dealt with by the university management," said Asmal's spokesperson, Molatoane Lekhethe.

University spokesperson Nomavenda Mathiane said Ntuli's complaint that he was being used as a token was "ludicrous, since he was a member of the university's top executives".

Although Dube has distanced himself from Ntuli's utterings, some academics, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Ntuli was very popular with the students.

"If this decision had been communicated to the students they would not have allowed it. Pitika (Ntuli) was very popular with the students," said one academic who declined to be named.

When asked whether they would like Ntuli to return, Dube said Ntuli would first have to explain to students why he had left.

- City Press