The University of Fort Hare has sacked vice-chancellor Professor Sakhela Buhlungu for serious misconduct, two days before his resignation was due to take effect on Friday.
An independent disciplinary inquiry found Buhlungu had appointed senior managers without council approval and brought the university into disrepute with disparaging statements in the media.
The university council said in a communiqué seen by IOL that Buhlungu's employment was terminated with immediate effect on Wednesday night and that he had been told of the decision.
The council took the decision at a special meeting on Wednesday, a day after the independent chairperson of the inquiry recommended that he be dismissed.
Professor Wezile Chitha, president of the Health Professions Council of SA, has already been appointed as Fort Hare's new vice-chancellor after the council unanimously chose him last Friday, and was expected to take up the post in the first quarter of 2027.
Council chairperson Dr Siyanda Makaula said Buhlungu's hearing was one of three separate disciplinary hearings that came out of the Morar report, which the council said had found that several employees breached the university's institutional statute.
"Significantly, all three chairpersons independently concluded that the misconduct was of such gravity as to warrant dismissal, underscoring the seriousness of the statutory breaches and the imperative of accountability in the exercise of institutional authority," Makaula said.
"Council would like to thank the university community for its patience, understanding and continued trust in the process and in council's commitment to exercising its oversight responsibilities diligently, without fear, favour or prejudice, and in the best interest of the university."
The inquiry chairperson found Buhlungu guilty on two counts of misconduct when he issued his findings last week Thursday.
The first count related to a serious breach of the university's institutional statute, after Buhlungu appointed members of the management executive committee without the required consultation within the institution and without council's approval.
The second related to disparaging statements Buhlungu made in the media, which the chairperson found had brought the university into disrepute.
Buhlungu was found not guilty on a further count of insubordination.
Trust and confidence undermined
The chairperson found, on a balance of probabilities, that the misconduct was serious enough to amount to gross misconduct, and recommended dismissal on Tuesday.
The council said it had considered the not guilty finding on insubordination, along with the distinction the chairperson drew between insubordination and insolence.
It concluded that, though Buhlungu's conduct did not amount to insubordination, it showed a failure to give the university's governing authority the respect it was due.
The council also counted the fact that Buhlungu had continued not to take part in the disciplinary proceedings as further insolence and an aggravating circumstance.
It said these aggravating circumstances, together with the guilty findings, had undermined the trust and confidence needed to sustain his employment as vice-chancellor.
The council resolved to uphold the chairperson's recommendation and discharge Buhlungu from office on the grounds of serious misconduct.
IOL