PROFESSOR DAYA REDDY APPOINTED AS UCT INTERIM VICE-CHANCELLOR

Professor Daya Reddy has been named temporary vice-chancellor of the University of Cape Town (UCT).

This comes on the heels of Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng’s dramatic resignation earlier this month.

Reddy takes over amid UCT student demonstrations over previous debt.

According to UCT spokesperson Elijah Moholola, Reddy will formally assume the job on March 14, 2023, until a new vice-chancellor is chosen.

“Professor Reddy has also served in various management and leadership positions at UCT. He also served on three occasions as acting deputy vice-chancellor, over these periods covering collectively a wide range of portfolios. Furthermore, he served three terms on Council as a member elected by the Senate.”

After negotiations with the Senate and soliciting opinions from the Institutional Forum, a special meeting was organised on March 6 with the name of the temporary vice-chancellor high on the agenda.

UCT chairperson of Council Babalwa Ngonyama said, “Professor Reddy has served in various management and leadership positions at UCT: as a head of department, as dean of the Faculty of Science for seven years, and from 1999 to 2021 as director of the Centre for Research in Computational and Applied Mechanics.”

Ngonyama added that Reddy has substantial governance and leadership expertise on a national and international scale.

“We thank Professor Reddy for availing himself for this role and we warmly welcome him back to UCT. I am sure we will all offer him our support during his interim tenure.”