Tuesday, October 2, 2001

Defying the Government, South Africa's Largest Distance Provider Names a New Head By HENK ROSSOUW Pretoria, South Africa The governing council of the University of South Africa, the largest distance-education university in Africa, has appointed a new vice chancellor in defiance of the government's plans for the institution. The appointment has heightened tensions between the university council and the education minister, Kader Asmal, who had ordered that the previous vice chancellor remain in office until the university's pending merger with two other major distance-education institutions is complete. The turmoil at the university, which is known as Unisa, could threaten the delivery of low-cost higher education to the more than 130,000 students enrolled across the country, many of whom cannot afford the higher tuition charged by traditional institutions. "It is not a reckless defiance," said McCaps Motimele, the chairman of the university council. "Any institution without a manager will collapse. We can't wait." Mr. Motimele spearheaded the move to defy the government and appoint a new vice chancellor. Barney Pityana, formerly head of the Human Rights Commission, was named to the post. The vice chancellor is the university's top official, the equivalent of an American university's president. The university council unexpectedly ousted the previous vice chancellor, Anthony Melck, when his two-year contract expired last month. The education minister had requested that he remain in office longer to oversee the difficult merger. At the root of Mr. Motimele's dispute with the government is a bill passed in Parliament last week that allows the education minister to dissolve university councils when institutions are to be merged. The government has not said whether the Unisa council will be dissolved. Unlike their counterparts at other South African universities, members of the Unisa council are paid salaries. Mr. Motimele's salary is $40,000 a year. Mr. Pityana must now oversee the large-scale merger with two other distance-education institutions, Technikon SA and the distance-education arm of Vista University, which will bring a further 88,000 students to the University of South Africa. Mr. Pityana told The Star, the largest daily in Johannesburg: "I would like to see Unisa become the primary distance-learning institution in Africa." Easy-to-print version E-mail this article

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