Malegapuru William Makgoba
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Professor Malegapuru William Makgoba (born in Sekhukhune in 1952) is a South African immunologist and principal and vice-chancellor of the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
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[edit] Achievements
Makgoba received an MBChB degree from the University of Natal Medical School in 1976 and a DPhil in human immunogenetics from the University of Oxford in 1983.
He has received many awards and distinctions including the 2002 Science for Society gold medal of the Academy of Science.[1]
Makgoba is a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of London and the Royal Society of South Africa. He is also a foreign associate member of the United States National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine and a fellow of the College of Physicians of South Africa.[2]
[edit] Academic career
Makgoba was appointed the first black vice-chancellor at the University of the Witwatersrand in 1995before being suspended for allegedly falsifying his resume. He was later reinstated after a sixth-month crisis.
Makgoba left Wits University to join the South African Medical Research Council. He headed the South African Medical Research Council between 1999 and 2002 and was involved in developing South Africa's AIDS strategy and the SA AIDS Vaccine Initiative.[3]
He was controversially appointed the principal and vice-chancellor of the University of Natal on 1 September 2002, months after it was announced that the university would merge with the University of Durban-Westville in the future.
Makgoba continued with his position on the interim council during the merger, which was official on 1 January 2004. His position was confirmed upon the creation of the founding council of the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
[edit] Controversies
In early 2006, Makgoba allegedly barred a renowned academic and activist, Dr Ashwin Desai from applying for a position at the University.
During November 2006, Makgoba defended an attack by the Freedom of Expression Institute that the freedom of expression of academics at the University were being "eroded."[4]
Makgoba, along with the council chairman, stepped aside from their positions on 28 November 2006, after a scandal emerged involving claims of sexual harassment and victimisation levelled by the dean of the Faculty of Managment Studies. Makgoba has denied these claims and has relinquished his post pending the outcome of an enquiry.[5]
