Future of UCT ‘rests on excellence’
Vice-chancellor shares her vision
Prof Mamokgethi Phakeng says she has been subjected to a lot of unfair criticism since taking over as vice-chancellor of the University of Cape Town.
However, Phakeng, who celebrated 146 days at the helm of one of this country’s leading universities, says she is not deterred by those who want her to fail.
She spoke out on Saturday at UCT’s Graduate School of Business in Sandton, Johannesburg, where she presented her vision for the UCT legacy society.
She has been subjected to a barrage of criticism, with the latest coming from Durbanbased GP Karin Morrow, who commented about her dress code during an event to welcome new UCT staff. Morrow wrote on Twitter that her dress was not “appropriate attire for the VC of a university to wear to an academic evening”.
Her comments received a lot of backlash on social media. On Saturday, Phakeng, who was wearing a black off-shoulder dress, began her presentation by jokingly asking how much shoulder was good for a vice-chancellor.
“I started in the office as the vice-chancellor on July 1. It is supposed to be a tough job and it has been tough. I didn’t expect it to be any easier but who said ‘adulting’ is easy.” Phakeng said her vision for the university rested on three pillars: excellence, transformation and sustainability. Phakeng said excellence without transformation is not sustainable. “Transformation that does not recognise excellence has no integrity and it disrespects black people.”
She said she aims to secure a sustainable future for UCT, as the institution has been absorbed with the challenge of the present.
“We should not be complacent. The future is important but it is always important to remind ourselves why we exist for academic purposes. We need to build academic projects that will also benefit us as the institution. If we get academics to be at the top, then everyone will benefit.”