Evaluation of the Southern and Eastern Africa Regional Centre for ...

42to RNE for 2012 the centre ‘now only effects deposits into UoZ accounts forpayment of fees, local staff salary top ups or Basil Fletcher Court [residential] rentals’.In view of the different arrangement and onus now on the Centre itself, but with apart-time bookkeeper, a thorough system audit would now be highly appropriate.4.1.1 SalariesWhile the UZ funds basic salaries of the teaching staff, each receive a top-up on theirsalary from RNE funding. The top-up started in 2003 as the salaries were deemed solow, and at the time UoZ experienced a large brain drain out of the sector andcountry. In 2008, the situation was particularly critical as all UoZ staff received only$100 in salary per month. The teaching staff at the Centre said that they would nothave stayed at the centre without this top-up. Though the top-up appears modestwhen looked at in comparison to South African salaries, from interviews itnonetheless appears critical in retaining teaching staff at the Centre who otherwisewould most likely of joined the brain drain.4.1.2 TechnicalThe Centre has developed very good premises through purchasing a house close tothe Faculty of Law at UoZ but strategically located over the road. The locationappears highly conducive to providing a restful work environment, as well as acentral meeting point for students. Given that many are from other countries in theregion, this provides an important locus. They have expanded the premises in recentyears- notably, the library, and freeing up space for additional teaching rooms. TheCentre has acquired a generator and borehole for reliable electricity and water supply,a necessity in the current situation in Zimbabwe. Students can connect to Wi-Fi bothat the Centre’s premises and in the halls of residence. SEARCWL convinced UoZ torent an old stock of flats to them, not only below the market price, at $150 permonth, but also at the far end of campus that tends to avoid the worst of on-campusdisruption when that occurs. SEARCWL maintains the flats.The building is well maintained, with good grounds, good equipment for teaching,including interactive whiteboards in three teaching rooms. Staffs have contributedsome items, such as furniture, themselves. One of the teaching rooms is also used asa study room for students who come to the library. It was noticeable to observe thatthe facilities appear very well used by students and others who are not necessarily onthe course. The Centre is therefore a significant resource for the University as awhole and even for those outside the University who come to use research sourcesavailable in the library, as several respondents attested to. The Centre has a wellresourcedlibrary that is attractive for users. The resources include course-relatedmaterials, but also extensive collections of case law, social science related literatureand even fiction related to gender and women’s issues. The chair of the regionalboard considered it was a particular asset to have so much regional research materialcentralised at one point. Unfortunately, due to the weak and expensive postalservices across the region, the library is not able to loan books to other collaboratinguniversities in the region.The Centre has to rely on the university for repair and maintenance and lack ofmaintenance has been an issue according to previous MTRs and evaluations. The