Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane has on an urgent basis approached the Eastern Cape High Court to declare unlawful an instruction by President Cyril Ramaphosa authorising an investigation into allegations around how he obtained his qualification at the University of Fort Hare.
The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) is investigating how he allegedly fraudulently submitted a research proposal for a master’s degree in public administration at the university, allegedly with the help of former faculty dean Prof Edwin Ijeoma.
Mabuyane wants the court to declare that Ramaphosa has acted irrationally, arbitrarily and that the move is unlawful.
“The president made an error of law by failing to understand the ambit of his powers and his discretion under the SIU Act, the president cannot authorise the SIU to investigate academic issues and affairs of a university.
“The SIU has started the investigation. I have come to understand that I am implicated in the ambit of the SIU's investigation, and I am being investigated. I am advised and submit that the president's decision to issue the proclamation is invalid and unlawful and falls to be reviewed and set aside,” said the court papers.
He earlier said the allegations were a campaign to tarnish his name.
Mabuyane, who has no honours degree, said he presented his research proposal for a master’s degree to a team of six academics at the university’s Bhisho campus in November 2019.
“I have been wrongly included in the ambit of the investigations in terms of the proclamation because I was once admitted and registered for a master's programme in Fort Hare's Faculty of Public Administration. But even this is not a rational basis for investigating me.
"Like any other prospective student, I applied to the university for admission into a programme offered by one of the university's faculties. [I] did not unduly use my position as a politician in the province and the Premier of the province to influence the process
“….If I did not qualify for any of the programmes I applied for, Fort Hare should have rejected my application.” said the papers.
TimesLIVE
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
Oscar Mabuyane approaches court to declare SIU investigation into his degree invalid
Wants court to declare president's action irrational and unlawful
Image: Supplied
Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane has on an urgent basis approached the Eastern Cape High Court to declare unlawful an instruction by President Cyril Ramaphosa authorising an investigation into allegations around how he obtained his qualification at the University of Fort Hare.
The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) is investigating how he allegedly fraudulently submitted a research proposal for a master’s degree in public administration at the university, allegedly with the help of former faculty dean Prof Edwin Ijeoma.
Mabuyane wants the court to declare that Ramaphosa has acted irrationally, arbitrarily and that the move is unlawful.
“The president made an error of law by failing to understand the ambit of his powers and his discretion under the SIU Act, the president cannot authorise the SIU to investigate academic issues and affairs of a university.
“The SIU has started the investigation. I have come to understand that I am implicated in the ambit of the SIU's investigation, and I am being investigated. I am advised and submit that the president's decision to issue the proclamation is invalid and unlawful and falls to be reviewed and set aside,” said the court papers.
He earlier said the allegations were a campaign to tarnish his name.
Mabuyane, who has no honours degree, said he presented his research proposal for a master’s degree to a team of six academics at the university’s Bhisho campus in November 2019.
“I have been wrongly included in the ambit of the investigations in terms of the proclamation because I was once admitted and registered for a master's programme in Fort Hare's Faculty of Public Administration. But even this is not a rational basis for investigating me.
"Like any other prospective student, I applied to the university for admission into a programme offered by one of the university's faculties. [I] did not unduly use my position as a politician in the province and the Premier of the province to influence the process
“….If I did not qualify for any of the programmes I applied for, Fort Hare should have rejected my application.” said the papers.
TimesLIVE
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Most read
Latest Videos