The chairman of council of the University of Limpopo has three working days to respond to allegations of administrative injustices and collapse of governance at the university.

Higher education minister Naledi Pandor confirmed yesterday that she received a complaint in July last year from Professor Johannes Tsheola, suspended dean of faculty of law and management, who made serious allegations against the university's vice-chancellor and principal Mahlo Mokgalong.

Higher education spokesperson Lunga Ngqengelele said Tsheola made several allegations including the collapse of institutional governance and academic governance, unlawful conduct and disregard of the rule of law at the university.

"The complaint was also sent to the public protector but the office advised him to exhaust all internal avenues before escalating the matter," he said.

Pandor wrote a letter last year to the chairperson of council Prof Pandelani Nefolovhodwe requesting him to respond to all the issues raised by Tsheola.

Ngqengelele said Pandor would determine the appropriate action once the council's response is received and analysed.

In July last year Tsheola alleged that Mokgalong was abusing his powers and also "proposing love" to his wife.

Nefolovhodwe said he would respond to the minister by the end of the week. He said Tsheola initially wrote to him requesting intervention in the dispute with Mokgalong.

"I told him I can't intervene because it's an administrative issue and my job is to focus on policies," Nefolovhodwe said.

"I then advised him to fill an internal grievance form through the human resources division but he refused and escalated the matter to the minister and public protector."

Tsheola was suspended for misconduct last year over a doctorate degree awarded to the university's spokesperson Kgalema Mohuba.