Stellenbosch University (SU) rector and vice-chancellor Wim de Villiers maintained throughout the inquiry into nepotism allegations against him that he acted in good faith. 

This was revealed in a 49-page report, which News24 has seen, by the panel that cleared De Villiers of misconduct in the nepotism scandal that divided the university's convocation over a call for him to be fired.

The findings of the investigation - led by retired Justice Carole Lewis and council members Helena Conradie and Ziyanda Stuurman – was presented to the university's council on Saturday.

The panel found that there was no serious misconduct by De Villiers which warranted his removal from office. It said De Villiers did not breach the institution's rules or policies, but that he made a "deplorable error of judgement" and showed a "lack of ethical insight" when he used his discretion to admit two of his wife's nephews to the university.

News24 can now report that De Villiers, who was accompanied by two legal representatives of his own through the inquiry, emphasised to the panel that he had acted in good faith.

Notably, the report also stated that De Villiers regretted a statement distributed in the SU newsletter and sent to the university's council admitting that he made an error of judgement regarding the rector's discretionary placements (RDP).

The statement was drafted by the then acting chair of council, Dr Nicky Newton-King, on the advice of the chancellor, Justice Edwin Cameron.

“He had insisted that the statement be corrected to reflect that he regretted the circumstances and the tumult that it had caused but did not admit to an error of judgement,” the report said. 

Furthermore, De Villiers also took grave exception that his exercising his discretionary right for placements for his wife's relatives who are white men was viewed as anti-transformative.

This was an accusation that was levelled by then convocation president Jan Heunis and raised in a complaint in emails about the unfairness of the process. 

“It was indeed made by many critics who voiced their views via the media, especially social media. The rector considered that opinion to be totally false and unacceptable,” the report reads.

The report then pointed out that De Villiers had said in his inaugural address that his vision was to turn SU into a multilingual African university of excellence.

“He had achieved much of that: there were in 2023 more postgraduate students than undergraduates, the majority of whom were not ‘white’; he had fundraised significantly and had ensured a transformed and diverse student body. SU had made significant strides in ensuring diversity since he had taken office.”

De Villiers also told the inquiry that he was placed in an unenviable position and had no protection.

The report also stated, "The decision was his alone, and he believed that he needed a senior person in the rectorate (perhaps a senior legal counsel) to advise on placements and other matters."

The report stated that the general view of all SU staff interviewed or who made submissions was that De Villiers should not have any discretionary power to place applicants for degrees. However, there was a view that some discretion was needed in the selection process.

In statement issued by SU on Saturday, the university's council said De Villiers apologised and even though he may have been permitted to make these allocations under the RDP guidelines, it was an error of judgement to fail to recognise the ethical implications of such a decision, the perception this would cause and the impact this would have on SU, management and the many stakeholders concerned.

De Villiers is set to face “appropriate financial consequences” still to be determined by the council.