Professor
1Min
South Africa
Dec 22, 2025
As the tension escalates, the University of South Africa 's leadership has rebutted some of the allegations made against its Principal and Vice Chancellor, Professor Puleng LekaBula following increasing scrutiny regarding its governance practices, along with questions about transparency and accountability in the management of the institution.
The University of South Africa (UNISA), the university council has firmly rejected allegations made by a forum named SaveUnisa concerning the reappointment of Vice-Chancellor Professor Puleng LenkaBula. The forum has called into question the council's ability to hold LenkaBula accountable for alleged mismanagement at the institution.
Last year, LenkaBula, who became the first woman to head UNISA in late 2020, was reappointed for a second term, a move that came a year before her initial term was set to conclude. This early reappointment has now stirred significant discontent within some sectors of the university community.
Simamkele Xani, a representative from SaveUnisa, voiced concerns regarding what they describe as a “capture” of the university council. “I want to believe that there’s been a capture of the university council to a point where the VC has more power than she should,” Xani stated.
The members of the forum have alleged that communication failures between the council and its registrar have resulted in a lack of accountability, hinting at potential collusion between officials.
In a robust response issued on Sunday, the UNISA council reiterated its commitment to its oversight responsibilities. The statement strongly asserted that it takes its accountability role seriously, stating, “The executive of the university led by the Principal and VC, accounts to Council through properly constituted mechanisms.” The council defended LenkaBula’s leadership, affirming confidence in her ability to govern the institution effectively.
The council’s assertion that these allegations are a mere rehash of past unfounded claims seems to reflect a wider frustration with ongoing criticisms. UNISA characterised the accusations from SaveUnisa as baseless, noting that similar allegations have been previously refuted since 2021.
Unisa further rebutted claims made by the forum, saying these allegations are a rehash of baseless and unfounded allegations that have been peddled since 2021.
"Whilst the university has previously rebutted these unfounded claims in the public domain, it wishes to re-emphasise its position on various points."
