Former UCT staffer calls for probe following ‘fabricated’ complaint against VC

A former University of Cape Town staff member has called for an independent investigation after discovering that her name had allegedly been recorded as the source of a misconduct complaint against vice-chancellor Prof Mosa Moshabela — a complaint she says she never made.

Moshabela has asked the Western Cape High Court to order the UCT council to cancel four resolutions he says were imposed on him unfairly following an investigation into 34 alleged complaints from staff and students about his behaviour.

But Wilna Venter, who spent 18 years at the university, said she was shocked when Fairbridges Attorneys approached her in March and she learnt that she had been listed as the source of one of the complaints against Moshabela.

In a statement, Venter said she had never lodged a complaint against Moshabela with UCT’s ombud’s office, the university, or anyone else, either directly or indirectly.