PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa has authorised the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to probe alleged corruption and maladministration, including the enrolment of honours students and awarding of degrees, at the University of Fort Hare.

The SIU is expected to investigate several tenders at the university.

“The SIU will also launch a probe into four tenders at the university. These include contracts for cleaning and gardening services, the leasing of student accommodation tender, the appointment of service providers for the maintenance and repair of air conditioning systems, as well as collusion between officials of the university and service providers, in which such officials held direct or indirect interests,” the SIU statement read.

Further in its statement, the SIU said the investigation would cover the allegations between November 2012 and last Friday (August 5).

“The SIU will investigate any unlawful or improper conduct by the officials, employees, service providers or suppliers to the university or any entity,” the statement read.

Speaking to Newzroom Afrika, SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said the probe would focus on the allegations of maladministration in the awarding of honours degrees, mismanagement of funds and sourcing of public servants to study in various faculty programmes by individuals for personal gain.

Kganyago said the SIU teams would be at the university from this week to assess the scope of the work and then relay the findings.

Last year, the university laid criminal charges against Professor Edwin Ijeoma for allegedly admitting and registering two students, including Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane.

Mabuyane, who was supervised by Ijeoma, was eventually excluded and deregistered by the university from its Master’s programme.

While the premier had threatened to appeal the decision, records do not show that he has done so officially.

More recently, in April this year, the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) arrested two more suspects linked to defrauding the University of Fort Hare out of millions.

Tobile Oxley George, 53, a contracts manager at the university and Lungelwa Mfinwana, 44, an employee at Qush Cleaning and Garden Services, were arrested by the Serious Corruption Investigation team based in East London.

According to the Hawks’ provincial spokesperson, Captain Yolisa Mgolodela, at that time, the Hawks previously arrested the company’s sole signatory, Yolisa Qusheka Songca, 43, as well as Walter Qusheka, 49, who was in charge of the company affairs and employee Vuyokazi Rejoice Qusheka, 35.

The Hawks stated then that it was alleged that on February 25, 2013, the University of Fort Hare entered into a cleaning contract with Qush Cleaning and Garden Services for the rendering of cleaning services.

It was further claimed that the university agreed to pay R750,000 monthly as consideration for services rendered as specified in the contract.

“The contract is reported to have excluded certain cleaning services the company had to render on a monthly basis. Allegations are that for any additional services outside the contract, the company would claim separately and be paid,” Mgolodela said.

However, the company is alleged to have taken it too far, and between August 12, 2016, and March 26, 2018, it submitted quotes and invoices to the university for additional services.

“The company is reported to have been paid more than R13.9 million for additional services.

“It is further alleged that during the said period, more than R4.1 million was paid by the company to bank accounts designated by an employee at Fort Hare,” Mgolodela said at the time.