The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has rejected claims that it does not have the skills to probe allegations of corruption, fraud and irregular actions relating to admissions into and awarding of degrees at Fort Hare University.
“The SIU has noted various utterances and reports in the media to the effect that SIU is ‘not up to the job’, and ‘not equipped’ to investigate allegations of corruption, fraud and irregularities relating to the admission into and awarding of degrees at the Fort Hare University,” said the SIU’s spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago.
“The SIU sets the record straight and refutes any assertion that it is not up to the job or not equipped to investigate as stated by some publicly,” he said.
The SIU’s statement comes after higher education minister Blade Nzimande told parliament on Wednesday that the SIU does not have capacity to probe the allegation of maladministration and corruption at Fort Hare.
News24 recently reported that the University of Fort Hare convocation alleged that the SIU does not have the necessary skills, knowledge, and expertise to investigate allegations of academic fraud at the academic institution.
The SIU is currently squaring off with Eastern Cape premier Oscar Mabuyane who recently filed an urgent court interdict at the Eastern Cape High Court to prevent it from probing the circumstances in which the University of Fort Hare awarded him his qualification as per an instruction by President Cyril Ramaphosa.
In a responding affidavit, the SIU said it has found prima facie evidence showing that a team of university officials and researchers produced a thesis on behalf of Mabuyane, who was pursuing master’s and doctorate qualifications at the relevant time without having been awarded an honours degree or its equivalent.
“The SIU is also investigating allegations of corruption in four tenders at the university. These include contracts for cleaning and gardening services, the leasing of student accommodation tender, the appointment of a service provider for the maintenance and repair of air conditioning systems, and collusion between officials of the university and service providers,” said Kganyago.
He said the SIU was mandated by law and is more than equipped and has the required skills, experience, and capacity to investigate the allegations received.
“The SIU has been fulfilling its mandate for more than 26 years. The investigation at the University of Fort Hare has proceeded well thus far and uncovered evidence that is currently being assessed for the purposes of informing the findings and actions to be taken,” said Kganyago.
“The SIU is mindful that the proclamation and some aspects of the investigation have been challenged in the high court and the matter is pending at court. However, due to the assertions covered in the media having the effect of misleading the public, the SIU was left with no option but to set the public record straight.”
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