FORT HARE PLAGUED BY FAKE QUALIFICATIONS AND CORRUPTION

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The University of Fort Hare was once an academic powerhouse in Africa, responsible for producing remarkable global leaders such as Nelson Mandela, as well as visionary heads of state from Uganda, Zimbabwe, and Lesotho. But that was back in the 1960s when this trailblazing institution went on to set the gold standard for African universities.

Fast forward to 2023, Fort Hare, which was once a shining symbol of overcoming apartheid’s injustices, has become a mere shadow of its former glory.

What went wrong?

A tangled web of factors led to the institution’s downfall, with corruption, shoddy governance, and negligence of essential managerial responsibilities sowing the seeds for its untimely demise. Those factors were laid bare in a report prepared by independent assessors. According to the report, the university has been in a dire state for more than a decade and hasn’t been able to resolve its problems.

The allegations

With allegations that could rival a Hollywood movie plot, Fort Hare is slowly becoming more well-known for scandals than for producing quality education.

Among the shocking claims include the issuing of counterfeit degrees. The plot thickens with the enigmatic Professor Ijeoma allegedly admitting and enrolling notable students, such as Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane. In an unforeseen twist, the university sought justice against the controversial professor by pressing criminal charges a year ago. Mabuyane, who was supervised by Ijeoma, was eventually excluded and deregistered by the university from its master’s programme.

The university ranking

Despite all the scandals, Fort Hare miraculously managed to increase its overall ranking by an outstanding 78 positions between 2021 and 2022, climbing from the 767 th position in 2021 to the 687 th position in 2022 - a sign that in terms of research, innovation, and societal impact, the University is on track.

Vice Chancellor Sakhela Buhlungu

When Professor Sakhela Buhlungu stepped foot in 2017, the spark was ignited. Fort Hare had just commemorated its 100-year journey the previous year, under Dr Mvuyo Tom’s leadership, while enduring the terrors of the #FeesMustFall student movement.

Buhlungu would later narrowly escape a chilling assassination attempt, following his bold exposure of powerful figures involved in a deceitful web of fake qualifications at the prestigious institution. When gunmen opened fire on his car, Mboneli Vesele, his personal bodyguard, was killed instantly.

At least a total of 15 high-ranking politicians are accused of fraudulently awarding postgraduate qualifications at the university. Among the incidents of corruption, Buhlungu described were his signature being forged and attempts to prevent cases from being brought to court.

The Special Investigating Unit’s investigation

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has launched an investigation into the awarding of honours degrees. In a statement, SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago confirmed that the unit would investigate allegations of maladministration in the awarding of post graduate degrees, mismanagement of funds, and sourcing of public servants for study into various faculty programmes by an individual at the University of Fort Hare for personal gain. “These include contracts 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

“These 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.

“Any unlawful or improper conduct by the officials, employees, service providers, suppliers to the university or any entity will be investigated by the SIU,” Kganyago said.

Minister of Public Service and Administration

Noxolo Kiviet, the newly appointed Minister of Public Service and Administration, is being investigated for degree fraud by the DA. The DA intends to obtain and reveal damning evidence of her misdeeds at the University of Fort Hare by using the Promotion of Access to Information Act. And to think, she has just been sworn in as a minister only recently.

Kiviet, who served previously as a deputy minister in the same portfolio, is allegedly being investigated by the SIU for possible fraud. After allegations regarding the awarding of honours degrees at the University of Fort Hare surfaced last year, the SIU announced it would investigate all allegations of maladministration.

The university in the Eastern Cape accuses Kiviet of fraudulently obtaining her honours in administration and her Master’s degree in public administration at Fort Hare. The Kiviet probe comes after Cope member Murunwa Makwarela was alleged to have forged an insolvency certificate to continue serving as Tshwane mayor.