Ex-faculty dean says he is being unfairly targeted in UFH scandal

Former University of Fort Hare public administration faculty dean Prof Edwin Ijeoma says he has been made a “soft target” in the ongoing allegations of academic fraud at the university.

Premier Oscar Mabuyane has been accused of submitting a research proposal for a master’s degree in public administration, with which Ijeoma and a team of research assistants and ghost writers allegedly assisted him.

Ijeoma was Mabuyane’s supervisor for the master’s degree proposal. Mabuyane, one of several high-profile Eastern Cape politicians whose names feature in the Special Investigating Unit probe, said he would challenge the allegations.

Ijeoma said he was not the one to blame for the debacle at UFH.

“I was at the lowest level of the process and therefore I did not have the authority to override the decisions of the faculty and the registrar’s admissions offices,” he said.

“I also did not approve, capture and issue admission letters to registered students.”

He denied that Mabuyane had applied for a doctoral degree at the university.

“Mr Mabuyane and I had a student-supervisor relationship, as I had with many students under my supervision, which included both political and non-political leaders.”

Ijeoma denied that Mabuyane had submitted fraudulent papers.

“The committee members, professors and dean approved his proposal.” Meanwhile, sources said Mabuyane had written to the SIU’s Eastern Cape head, Zodwa Xesibe, on May 3 requesting “an audience” with the statutory body.

“The opportunity I am seeking only relates to affording me an opportunity to make submissions in response to parts of the investigation and or allegations that mention my name, should there be any.”

It is understood that Xesibe responded that Mabuyane would be afforded an opportunity during the week of May 15, to which he indicated his availability to meet on May 16.

But the SIU wrote to Mabuyane on May 11 saying they were unable to meet him due to “operational matters” and requested they meet in the first week of June.

SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said the investigation of allegations of academic fraud at UFH was ongoing.

Mabuyane’s spokesperson, Zuko Godlimpi, said: “We can confirm that premier Mabuyane wrote to the SIU seeking an audience regarding an investigation being conducted on the affairs of the University of Fort Hare, as it relates to him.”

University spokesperson JP Roodt said all internal and external investigation reports as well as physical, forensic and digital evidence had been handed over to the SIU several weeks ago in relation to the alleged “serious academic fraud that occurred in the department of public administration at the Bhisho campus involving public servants and Edwin Ijeoma”.