Fort Hare University To Defend The SIU Investigation On Corruption
The University of Fort Hare has written to its students saying it will defend the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) investigation on allegations of corruption and maladministration in some government departments. The letter comes as a response to a High Court case which seeks to invalidate President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Special Investigating Unit (SIU) proclamation.
The university is the third respondent in the case, and the Presidency and SIU are first and second respondents. Last year, Ramaphosa authorised the SIU to investigate allegations of corruption and maladministration in the affairs of the Department of Water and Sanitation, Saldanha Bay Local Municipality and Eskom Holdings SOC Limited, and to recover any losses suffered by the State
In the letter seen by Pindula News, the University assures its students that the Presidential Proclamation targets irregular practices at the Bhisho campus involving the Department of Public Administration. The University has decided to oppose the application to thwart the SW investigation and will defend the matter in the High Court. We present the letter below:
Dear colleagues and students
RESPONSE TO THE BHISHO HIGH COURT CASE
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You may be aware of reports in the media about an upcoming court case at the Bhisho High Court to declare President Cyril Ramaphosa’s SIU proclamation unconstitutional and invalid. The University is cited as third respondent in the matter, and the Presidency and SIU are first and second respondents, respectively.
The Presidential Proclamation on the SIU and the UFH is no indictment of the University’s academic project and the standing of our qualifications. The accreditation and quality of UFH programmes have always been and remain beyond reproach. Instead, the proclamation targets very specific irregular practices at the Bhisho campus involving the Department of Public Administration.
Since January 2021, extensive stakeholder consultation took place to conceive a collective and shared strategic plan and vision “Towards a Decade of Renewal, 2022-2026” which was approved by Council at the end of that year. Following this, the University has been implementing a multi-stakeholder mandate to restore the University’s standing and reputation. Internal and external investigations enable the University to understand, examine and address matters that have adversely affected the institution in the past.
For this reason, we reaffirm our responsibility and legal obligation to work with law enforcement agencies.
The University has therefore taken a decision to oppose the application to thwart the SIU investigation, and will defend the matter in the High Court.Sincerely
Professor Sakhela Buhlungu Vice-Chancellor and Principal
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