Allegations of maladministration and governance challenges at the Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU) have caught the attention of Parliament’s portfolio committee on higher education, says a Sunday Independent report. The university has been summoned to make representation and respond to allegations relating to operations at the institution.
Chair Philly Mapulane said the committee was made aware of numerous challenges at the university and wanted a better understanding. “We want to understand what’s happening because we have picked up that things are not fine,” he said.
Sources at the university said in the report that the problems being referred to revolved around the leasing contracts for student accommodation and transport. Those contracts are said to have led to the suspension of the former director for procurement, Ronnie Mampana, on allegations of corruption and breaching university policies.
Mampana declined to respond to specific questions and said the management of the university was best placed to. Attempts for comment from the university were unsuccessful. The report said the university failed to respond to questions sent to spokesperson Eric Pule.
[link url="https://www.iol.co.za/sundayindependent/news/sefako-makgatho-health-sciences-university-summoned-by-parliament-44892083"]Full Sunday Independent report[/link]