SIU set to hold Fort Hare University by its horns over ‘fraudulent degrees’

University of Fort Hare, a highly recognised institution – an alma mater of notable leaders including Nelson Mandela Robert Sobukwe and Oliver Tambo, came into the spotlight last year, 2021 on serious allegations of maladministration in the awarding of honours degrees.

Last year, the Hawks was on a massive raid and unearthed numerous cases of student admission fraud, corruption, awarding of degrees fraudulently and money laundering activities at the trouble-ridden university.

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has now attended to the call by the Hawks to intensely probe allegations of maladministration in the awarding of honours degrees at the University of Fort Hare in the Eastern Cape.

SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago confirmed that the SIU has begun with probes to investigate all allegations underpinned to the university and that they will further stretch a hand to probe mismanagement of funds and sourcing of public servants for study into various Faculty programmes by an individual for personal gain.

“SIU will launch a probe into four tenders that include contacts for cleaning and gardening services, the leasing of student accommodation tender, the appointment of service provider for the maintenance and repair of air conditioning systems and collusion between officials of the university and service providers, in which such officials held direct or indirect interests,” said Kganyago.

He said any unlawful or improper conduct by the officials, employees, service providers, suppliers to the university or any entity will be investigated.

He also added that the SIU is authorised to launch an investigation into the department of public works and infrastructure. “The investigation will probe five contracts for unauthorised, irregular or fruitless and wasteful expenditure incurred by the Department.”

The SIU said the investigation will cover the allegations between November 2012 and August 5 this year.

Lat year, Fore Hare university laid criminal charges against its former Professor Edwin Ijeoma – who allegedly admitted and registered two students, that includes the child of Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane.

Mabuyane, who was supervised by Ijeoma, was excluded and deregistered by the university from its master’s programme.