Threat to close medical school
Students demand answers on ‘places for sale’ scandal
PLANS are afoot to shut down the University of Kwazulu-natal’s medical school if students do not receive answers from management regarding the recent “places for sale” scandal that rocked the institute.
Student leaders met management this week to discuss the issue but said they left the meeting without any answers.
The ANC Youth League (ANCYL) also issued a statement giving the university 30 days to respond or they would face the “might of the youth league”.
The organisation demanded that the council of the university institute an internal investigation into those involved to make recommendations to improve the university system following the saga.
The uproar followed the arrest of a Durban business couple who are the owners of the Little Gujarat restaurants, Varsha and Hiteshkumar Bhatt, and umhlanga businesswoman Preshni Hiramun. It is believed the three acted as “agents” and allegedly sold spots for up to R500 000 as part of a syndicate.
Following the arrests, the SRC said it was furious that it was denied access to the R1.4 million KPMG forensic audit, despite several requests.
SRC leader and fifth-year medical student Noxolo Bhengu said the university’s excuse was that it had given the report to the police and it was now part of the criminal probe.
“We believe there are names in that report of top-level management who the university does not want us to see because they are trying to protect them. If R1.4m of taxpayers’ money was used for this report, why are they hiding it?”
UKZN chair of council, Dr Ayanda Ntsaluba, whose term comes to an end next month, was asked why the council had not spoken out on the saga.
He said the council had not held a formal meeting yet and the next meeting would take place on June 19, when they expected a report to be tabled on the investigation. Until then, they would not comment.
But a member of council who asked not to be named said he was shocked at the university’s handling of the matter.
“Something as big as this requires a special sitting, yet they have not called for this. A ‘glorified’ and weak KPMG report was presented to council late last year and I believe the firm was paid to cover up the corruption and to protect white supremacy at the medical school.
“Council members know this matter was reported a long time ago, but no thorough investigations were conducted because certain interests were being protected.”
When KPMG was asked this week how was it possible that its report found no corruption, despite being paid over a R1m to investigate, the firm’s investigator who conducted the forensic audit, Candice Padayachee, responded:
“Please note that in terms of the firm’s policy, reports that we issue contain information which is confidential to our clients and we are not entitled to disclose or discuss such information.”
Meanwhile, student leaders alleged that the allegations of corruption regarding the sale of places were brought to the attention of the university back in 2011 but were “covered up”.
Former vice-chancellor Professor Malegapuru William Makgoba, now the health ombudsman, said it was never reported to him when he was in his position. He would not comment further on the matter as he said he was no longer part of the institution and did not know what was going on.
nabeelah.shaikh@inl.co.za