The Citizen reports that University of Cape Town (UCT) cardiologist Professor Bongani Mayosi, who committed suicide on Friday, tried twice in the period since 2016 to resign, but was not released by the institution.  

Vice-chancellor Prof Mamokgethi Phakeng revealed to Cape Talk radio station on Monday that the former dean of health science at the institution started suffering from depression during the 2016 Fees Must Fall protests.  “In times of conflict, a lot of things happen, a lot of things go wrong… I’m not saying students are to blame – students themselves were traumatised.  Oftentimes we think it’s only students; the staff themselves were traumatised, and the things we say to one another during conflict are not desirable.”  Phakeng revealed that during the protests the deceased, who had been the middleman between the students and staff, was called “a coconut, a sellout”.  Asked why Mayosi was not allowed to resign, Phakeng said the answer she had received so far was that “it would not look good for a black dean to resign”.  She indicated that she was still waiting for a full report on why he was not allowed to quit.  Phakeng also said tertiary institutions were no longer safe spaces for ideas, as those who opposed certain views were perceived as the “enemy”.

• Read this report by Batandwa Malingo in full at The Citizen
• Read too, Tributes pour in for acclaimed medical pioneer Bongani Mayosi, at BusinessLive
• And also, UCT must take responsibility for Prof Mayosi's death, says former Fees Must Fall leader, at News24

Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page