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Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande has called on the Special Investigating Unit to “stick to its mandate” when probing allegations of corruption at tertiary institutions.
Nzimande’s remarks follow the SIU probe into the qualifications of Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane, who is accused of fraudulently obtaining his Master’s degree at the University of Fort Hare.
Mabuyane has since obtained an interim interdict that prevents the SIU from investigating his qualifications.
The SIU received a proclamation signed by President Cyril Ramaphosa in August last year, authorising the unit to investigate allegations of corruption and maladministration in awarding Honours degrees and mismanagement of funds at the Eastern Cape University.
Speaking at the University on Friday, Nzimande said he is concerned by the unit’s conduct when probing allegations of maleficence. The SIU must stick to the proclamation when they are investigating," Nzimande told a media briefing.
"I have raised this with SIU boss Andy Mothibi directly when I met with him, I said that I am worried that sometimes the SIU seems to be given a particular proclamation and then it goes all over the place."
"The court seems to be reinforcing that because you can't fight illegality with illegality. The SIU must investigate corruption, but they don't have the knowledge of recognition of prior learning."
"They must either go to people who are knowledgeable, to then get proper knowledge, or they should hand over that part of the investigation to institutions that are assigned by law to deal with them is not to avoid corruption."
Nzimande said the amount of time taken by the SIU to investigate is also a cause for concern.
"My concern with the SIU is that they cannot do work forever without coming back with results. The first proclamation at Fort Hare was in 2021, and I don't have a progress report from the SIU until today. Why two years and nothing happens?
"Why are they investigating non-stop and forever? I have instructed my director-general to meet with the SIU, where the SIU is involved, whether it is at NSFAS. We now need a time frame and amount of money that will be charged by the SIU," he added.
(Source:JacarandaFM)
