News24.com | Former UCT VC Phakeng takes early retirement as maths education professor

Former UCT VC Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng.

• Former UCT vice-chancellor Mamokgethi Phakeng has decided to take early retirement.  
• UCT council chairperson Babalwa Ngonyama said Phakeng has decided to retire early from her position as professor in the school of education.
• Phakeng is being probed for allegedly misleading the senate about the true reasons for the early departure of deputy vice-chancellor Lis Lange last year.

The University of Cape Town (UCT) council chairperson, Babalwa Ngonyama, says former vice-chancellor Mamokgethi Phakeng has decided to retire early from her position as professor in the school of education.  

In a statement addressed to staff and students on Monday, Ngonyama said that Phakeng, who holds a PhD in mathematics education, had been due to retire as a UCT professor on 30 March 2024. 

"However, she has since elected to take early retirement as a professor in the school. The early retirement took effect as from 1 April 2023. Council has noted Professor Phakeng's departure from UCT," she said.

"We have also noted with concern the allegations concerning the university and its council in a number of media engagements by the former vice-chancellor and the university is taking legal advice on what its rights are in respect of those allegations."

READ | Ramaphosa appoints Phakeng to national orders advisory council, earmarks Kolisi for highest honours

News24 broke the news about Phakeng's staggering R12.5 million early retirement settlement, which would see her leave the vice-chancellorship before her second term expired in 2028, to which the council had agreed.

Phakeng's last day as UCT vice-chancellor was on 3 March.  

Phakeng is being investigated for allegedly misleading the senate about the true reasons for the early departure of deputy vice-chancellor Lis Lange last year.

An independent panel was appointed to look into allegations of poor governance. 

Ngonyama said the UCT council continued giving attention to its governance role and to supporting the interim vice-chancellor Emeritus Professor Daya Reddy and his team in leading and managing the university.

"The second academic term commenced recently, and council is confident that all of UCT’s stakeholders, internal and external, will continue to support our institution, and especially our students and staff, in the discharge of the academic mission of the university," she said.

Meanwhile, News24 reported on Sunday that President Cyril Ramaphosa had appointed Phakeng to the 11-member national orders advisory council.