By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Eastern Cape premier Oscar Mabuyane has denied the accusations that he is embroiled in a scandal over his attempt to fake his way into a PhD programme in public administration at the University of Fort Hare (UFH).
Mabuyane says he would challenge the forensic report in court if needed.
According to a forensic report, Mabuyane is said to have enlisted the help of a tainted UFH professor, Edwin Ijeoma, and his team of ghostwriters to compile and submit his research proposal and other key documents.
In October 2020, the University of Fort Hare suspended Ijeoma on a precautionary basis after allegations surfaced that he had unlawfully enrolled Sindiswa Gomba, the ousted Eastern Cape MEC, for an honours degree in public administration.
According to the report, Mabuyane didn’t do more than just paraphrase and add bits of information to “his” Master’s proposal, as Ijeoma and his team did most of the work.
The report said the team also helped him prepare for his presentation to a panel of academics, adding that the evidence against him was too compelling to ignore or claim he was unaware of the plot to earn him the qualifications in fraudulent fashion.
Ijeoma’s secretary, Candyce Dawes, is also implicated in the report.
The UFH said it had handed investigation reports into the Department of Public Administration fraud allegations to the Special Investigating Unit (SIU).
Mabuyane insisted he worked on the Master’s proposal by himself and was only assigned Ijeoma as his supervisor after successfully presenting it before a panel of academics.
He continued his studies until 2021.
His spokesperson Zuko Godlimpi said in a statement, “In 2021, the premier received a letter from the university stating he has been excluded and deregistered as a student of the institution, following a review conducted in respect of students who were supervised by Professor Ijeoma.”
Mabuyane said he was surprised there was a forensic report as he hadn’t been invited to respond to allegations against him.
He also denied receiving a post-graduate qualification and pursuing doctoral studies at UFH.
Eastern Cape opposition parties have called on premier Mabuyane to resign amid allegations of academic fraud at the University of Fort Hare.