SIU to push on with Mabuyane’s Fort Hare degree scandal


The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) says the judgment handed down by the Bisho High Court in the Eastern Cape on the investigation into the awarding of degrees at the University of Fort Hare does not prevent the SIU from continuing with its investigation.

The SIU says this is because the judgment is based on a 2022 proclamation which has been amended since the initial judgment. Among the qualifications that were under investigation are those of Eastern Cape Premier, Oscar Mabuyane, who was the applicant in the judgment. In 2024 the SIU amended the Proclamation to extend its scope and duration.

The African National Congress (ANC) in the Eastern Cape earlier welcomed the decision by the Bisho High Court. The court declared the investigation unconstitutional and set it aside. The ruling further stated that the investigating body should pay the legal costs.