Student Governance and Development

Durban University of Technology

4th Floor, Open House, Steve Biko Campus

Steve Biko Road, Durban, 4001

P O BOX 1334, Durban, South Africa, 4000
Tel: +27 (31) 373-2683
Fax to email: 086 5508378

Tel +27(0) 31 373 2683

Fax to email: 086 5508378
W www.dut.ac.za

01 December 2023

DUT SRC STATEMENT on allegations against the Vice-Chancellor Prof. Thandwa

Mthembu and the Council.

Firstly, the SRC would like to wish a safe departure to all students who are going home. We
wish you all the best as we anxiously await results for examinations and assessments for
year 2023.

The SRC has seen the necessity to respond to the article that was released on the ‘Sunday
World’ of the 15th of November 2023 with regards to allegations levelled against the Vice
Chancellor and the Council. The allegations include amongst others, doctoring of a bogus
report, looting and purging of DUT staff members. It further states ever since Prof Mthembu
took over, we have seen key academic and senior managers leaving the institution.

A number of media houses have been phoning SRC with regard the position of SRC and
students of DUT.

Upon evaluating the content of the allegations, the SRC discovered a pattern of ongoing
attempt to destabilize the good administration led by Vice Chancellor of DUT Professor
Mthembu.

It is no secret that since the arrival of Vice Chancellor Professor Mthembu at DUT the
University experienced many good changes, leading to the University being rated highly in
local and global rankings. Internally, the University has been deliberate about shirking its
old bad image recreating a new culture that embodied on values and principle such honesty,
integrity, transparency, respect and accountability. The SRC embraces and endorses this
culture of openness and engagement on all and any difficult questions.

Engagement must at all times be based on facts and honesty, not faceless slander and
gossip-mongering.

There are individuals who have dismally failed to act in line with the DUT Living Values and
have tried to conspire and mobilise in dark corners to taint the good name of the leadership
of the University. These individuals must be exposed for the agent provocateurs that they
are.

The University has well established channels to deal with matters such as the allegations,
including a mechanism that involves independent third parties that have full support to even
conduct anonymous investigations to protect whistle blowers. None of these channels were
used by these individuals because they know that none of these allegations will stand the
test of rigorous probing.

The SRC will not allow the use of student activism to be deployed to destabilize the
University. The SRC will investigate the allegations levelled against the students activists
who are given money and other material as incentives to destabilize the University. We urge
students of DUT to remain vigilant against any opportunistic tendencies who want to earn
their price through compromising the future and the vision of the students.

The SRC operates with the highest ethical standards, and we take all allegations of
corruption very seriously. We are committed to conducting a thorough investigation to
ensure that any wrongdoing is addressed appropriately. It is essential for us to maintain the
trust of our stakeholders, and we will take all necessary steps to uphold the integrity of our
operations and we will take a swift action if any impropriety is discovered.

We remain steadfast in our commitment to transparency, accountability, and ethical conduct

in all aspects of our operations.

The SRC wishes to remind all stakeholders on its commitment to lead the University with
order and stability

Released on behalf of the SRC