Ramaphosa authorises wider SIU probe into Fort Hare degree scandal

The Special Investigative Unit is set to re-open investigation into Fort Hare where Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane is implicated in degrees scam. Picture: Supplied

The Special Investigative Unit is set to re-open investigation into Fort Hare where Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane is implicated in degrees scam. Picture: Supplied

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The Special Investigative Unit (SIU) has revealed that it will be investigating the awarding of degrees at Fort Hare University, vehicle and driver licensing, and three provincial health departments and two municipalities.

This comes after President Cyril Ramaphosa signed six new and two amended proclamations authorising the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to investigate allegations of corruption and maladministration in the affairs of Fort Hare University, the National and Provincial Departments of Transport, Limpopo Department of Sports, Arts and Culture, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Department of Health, Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality, Tlokwe Local Municipality, Mpumalanga Department of Health and Eastern Cape Provincial Department of Health.

The amendment results from the SIU’s investigations revealing that the SIU needed to investigate further areas that the existing proclamations did not cover.

On Friday, Ramaphosa signed an amended proclamation authorising the SIU to investigate allegations of corruption and maladministration at the University of Fort Hare in the Eastern Cape.

SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago in a statement revealed areas that will be investigated include the registration and awarding of degrees by non-eligible persons and serious maladministration and malpractices.

Last year, in an ongoing case, an SIU investigation implicated Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane in alleged fraud in the awarding of degrees at the university.

Kganyago revealed that the SIU will be challenging Mabuyane’s application to interdict the unit from continuing its investigation into allegations of maladministration and impropriety at the university.

“We as the SIU have received the papers that were filed at the Bhisho High Court yesterday and we are the second respondent, the first respondent being the president and the third respondent being Fort Hare itself. From our side as the SIU, we are going to be defending the matter and the investigation on Fort Hare will continue,” he said.