Joshua Amupadhi
Professor Sam Nolutshungu’s decision not to lead Wits into the next century caps a trying 14 months at one of South Africa’s pre-eminent seats of learning.
October 1995: The Makgoba Affair. A group of senior academics accuses deputy vice- chancellor William Makgoba of mismanagement and of embellishing his curriculum vitae, sparking a row that rapidly brings the race card on to the table.
November 1995: Makgoba counters by releasing details of his accusers’ alleged tax evasion. Allegations are rejected by the university and are described by the academics as ranging “from the merely spurious to the outright ludicrous”. Tribunal set up to investigate the allegations against Makgoba.
December 1995: Makgoba suspended and threatens to release more information against ex-colleagues. South African Students’ Congress and National Education Health and Allied Workers’ Union threaten mass action unless Education Minister Sibusiso Bengu intervenes.
January 1996: Vice-Chancellor Robert Charlton assures parents protest action will not lead to cancelled lectures.
February and March 1996: Lawyers Dennis Davis and Cecil Wulfson broker a resolution of the Makgoba affair. Apologies all round, but vicious conflict exacerbates leadership crisis. Makgoba takes a lower-profile role in medical research at Wits, which includes analysing human sperm.
June 1996: Speculation around contenders for new vice-chancellor hots up and Wits Transformation Front (WTF) dumps Makgoba. University of the North Vice-Chancellor Njabulo Ndebele emerges as the new favourite among champions of rapid transformation – a view shared by the African National Congress.
September 1996: Wits advertising campaign aimed at countering its reputation of becoming a “third-world” institution sparks allegations of anti-Semitism. The advert contained Derek Bauer cartoons of classic anti-Semitic representations in satirical portrayals of dinner party conversations.
October 1996: Tortuous selection process for new vice-chancellor designed to appease all factions comes to a close with public grilling of all candidates. Nolutshungu pips deputy vice-chancellor June Sinclair as Ndebele comes last in the voting.
December 1996: Government cuts Wits subsidy by R36-million for 1997. Top academics announce they are leaving. Sinclair decides against re-applying for her post after contract expires. Considers other options.
January 1997: Nolutshungu pulls out. Makgoba recommends university consults a witch doctor.