The University of the Witwatersrand is set to appoint a new vice-chancellor following the controversial resignation last year of Professor Norma Reid-Birley.
Reid-Birley, who at the time ”refuted vigorously” allegations levelled against her, resigned amid an inquiry into her conduct. On Monday, the university’s senior appointments selection committee met and ”agreed unanimously” that only one of the 24 vice-chancellor candidates met the requirements for the new post —
Professor Loyiso Nongxa.
Nongxa, a mathematician, graduated from the University of Fort Hare before going on to complete a doctorate in philosophy at Oxford University in England.
He has held visiting appointments at the universities of Harvard, Connecticut, Colorado, Illinois and Baylor in Texas. He has also held a professorial position at the University of the Western Cape — during which he was also Dean of the Faculty of
Natural Sciences — before being appointed as deputy vice-chancellor of Wits in September 2000.
Although Nongxa, who is currently acting vice-chancellor and principal, seems set to secure the top post, he must still pass through a number of processes. These include making a presentation to the university community, answering questions in public and being interviewed by the selection committee.
If the committee approves of him, their recommendations would then be forwarded to the senate for comment before being submitted to the council for final approval. – Sapa