The settlement of the Makgoba crisis at Wits was the result of weeks of behind-the-scenes work, writes Philippa Garson
Weeks of secret negotiations brokered by lawyers Dennis Davis and Cecil Wulfsohn delivered the deal which effectively ended the six-month-long “Makgoba” crisis at the University of the Witwatersrand.
The Mail & Guardian has pieced together the backround to the deal which ended with the controversial academic moving out of his leadership position of deputy vice-chancellor back into academia.
The fragile deal was struck after weeks of secretive and fraught negotiations by the two lawyers who facilitated the agreement between Makgoba and nine of the 13 academics who signed a dossier late last year accusing him of mismanagement, falsifying his CV and dragging the university’s name into disrepute.
Although the settlement has brought to an end the vicious conflict on campus among the university’s key players, it hastens a leadership crisis for the institution. Four of the six top positions at Wits must now be filled within the next few months.
Part of the Makgoba deal, which nearly derailed, involved dropping the proposed tribunal into his conduct and alleged falsification of his CV, and a series of apologies and acknowledgements all round.
Sources claim the deal was struck after one of the toughest mediation processes Davis — an experienced mediator — has ever conducted, given the “poles apart” positions of those involved.
Last-minute attempts this week to bring the four “hardliners” on board — Charles van Onselen, Keith Beavon, Ron Carter and Ian Steadman — failed. Van Onselen said the group would soon release a joint statement but would not comment further. However, it is understood the group was unhappy with the agreement as it was vague in parts, scrapped the tribunal and did not rule out the chances of Makgoba becoming vice-chancellor of the university.
The university council, which initially gave the two parties the mandate to mediate a solution, accepted the agreement after an hour’s debate at an emergency meeting this week, in which deputy vice-chancellor June Sinclair came out in support of the four’s position.
Makgoba acknowledged that statements in his CVs could “lend themselves to misunderstanding”, accepted the findings of the Wallis Inquiry into the allegations he made against the 13 and apologised for publicising and misrepresenting information about them.
In return, the nine academics (including Keith Yeomans, who has since resigned) acknowledged his academic credibility in “never question(ing) his qualifications and recognising his international contribution to immunology”, acknowledged that he acted “under great stress” in publishing information about them, and that inadequate support was given to him in overcoming his administrative inexperience.
Makgoba’s resignation comes in the wake of a realisation all round that work on the university’s 11th floor can no longer proceed properly, given the damaged relations after the slinging of dossiers and counter-dossiers.
An upbeat Makgoba said he was “very happy” with the outcome, adding: “The university has come out with a solution to a major crisis and everyone has had to give in.” He commended the role played by three of the nine: Etienne Mureinik, Carol Lewis and Merton Dagut, in reaching an agreement.
While there is nothing to stop Makgoba from applying for the post of vice-chancellor, an appointment that must be made within months, it is considered unlikely that he will do so.
Makgoba, who had trouble selling the “deal” to the Wits Transformation Front (WTF) on grounds that the organisation was not consulted, will, however, play a key role in the transformation of the university in future.
It was the slur on his academic standing, of paramount importance to him, which drew fire from him, rather than the perceived slow pace of change at the university.
But the WTF, which hoped to pin the entire cause of transformation on the outcome of the Makgoba crisis, is disappointed. Of uppermost concern to their “crusader” was the restoration of his personal reputation.
SRC vice-president Bheki Zwane said: “The agreement comes as a shock to us and we think there is something sinister about it. As far as we’re concerned there should still be a commission of inquiry. This does not solve the wider controversy around transformation.”
Head of human genetics at Wits, Trefor Jenkins, who acted as adviser to Makgoba, said the health sciences faculty was pleased with the outcome. The faculty considered Makgoba to be a “first-rate academic” and had been trying to get him into its fold for years. The faculty, he said, “felt sore about (the whole affair). We knew that Professor Makgoba was a very reputable academic … and a very good researcher. Those of the 13 academics I knew are also first-rate academics.” Jenkins said that in his view the 13 were never labelling Makgoba a fraud, even though “they were raising questions about apparent inconsistencies in his CVs”.
Makgoba’s new appointment must still be ratified by senate, but it is already a fait accompli.
The resolution of the crisis around Makgoba has paved the way for a major management shake-up of Wits University. With his resignation from his post, four of the six top positions will shortly become vacant.
By the year’s end, the term of office of two other deputy vice-chancellors, Sinclair (whose term was extended for a year given the delay in negotiating new appointment procedures) and Friedel Sellschop, expires. Vice-chancellor Robert Charlton’s term expires at the end of next year and a new VC-elect should be in place early next year to learn the ropes of the new job.
Charlton said this week the university would start advertising for the post soon.