A TOTAL of 36 University of Fort Hare honours students are likely to have their qualifications revoked as the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) is pushing for the revocation of their degrees after they were admitted to study there irregularly.

The students are among the 68 that were investigated by the corruption-busting unit after it was authorised by President Cyril Ramaphosa to probe the affairs of the university in 2019.

The SIU had received allegations in connection with maladministration in the affairs of the university’s department of public administration in the awarding of honours degrees, the management of funds, and the sourcing of public servants for study in the faculty and management.

Briefing the Higher Education Portfolio Committee on Friday, SIU head in the Eastern Cape Mike Koya said 68 students were admitted in a manner the unit found was irregular after they did not follow the admission prescripts.

“They were conferred with honours degrees at the university. The period is between 2006 and 2019,” Koya said.

He said six students were admitted and registered to study towards the honours degree programme in 2007 without meeting the minimum admission requirements and going through the recognition of prior learning (RPL) process.

The investigation also found that seven students were admitted having prior approval through the RPL process after they were first enrolled to study for a non-accredited advanced certificate and a higher certificate in public administration and management that was not equivalent to the required national qualification framework.

A further 20 students were approved, who had either completed their degrees or still studying, by the university’s senate for RPL retrospectively to study towards the qualification in 2015.

Koya said the SIU has started a process of making referrals to the University of Fort Hare council and senate to revoke those qualifications.

“There are 36 who we will recommend for revocations of their qualifications and 26 will either be students who did not attain qualifications or would have been deceased by now,” he said, adding that the investigation was continuing.

Koya said the SIU has asked Ramaphosa to amend the proclamation after they received a number of allegations.

“The SIU received allegations of students in the faculties of law, department of public administration and health that were allowed to register for an LLB degree despite not meeting the admission requirements,” he said.

Other allegations related to 10 service providers that were paid for maintenance of university infrastructure without a rotation of suppliers, a service provider colluding with officials in the procurement of CCTV cameras that were installed at private residences of the officials.

The SIU has also been requested to investigate the procurement of student residences from Equicent Eastern Cape Developments and Inteli Mali contract and the management of funds flowing from the National Student Fund Aid Scheme, Koya added.

Updating the Members of Parliament on an investigation into matters in the proclamation such as Qush Services that was appointed and paid R26m, Koya said their investigation found that a certain contract manager extended the contract every month between 2015 and 2019 in a move that cost the university R64m.

“The SIU is in the process of referring the matter for civil litigation to recover all monies that were lost. There is a case opened by the Hawks on the same issue where the owner and the official were arrested.”

Koya also said they were referring the student accommodation lease agreement for civil litigation.

Several service providers provided student accommodation and in one contract that was originally R8.7m, it ballooned to R68m due to extensions.

While one service provider has signed acknowledgment debt of R 2.9m, the SIU was preparing evidence to refer it to the National Prosecuting Authority for criminal investigation.

Litigation and criminal referral will also be made in connection with a contract for maintenance and repair of the airconditioning system and instances of collusion between officials and service providers.

Koya said seven companies were irregularly appointed via deviations and there were companies appointed to provide security.

“R179m was paid to service providers, and the implicated officials would receive R18m. We are doing tracing and following the money. One service provider invoiced R710 000 for a drone kit that was never delivered and one official has approved payment to the company even though there was no delivery.”

mayibongwe.maqhina@inl.co.za