As many as 4,000 fake degrees may have been issued at the University of Zululand in Empangeni over the past 20 years, according to a report in the Sunday Times.<\/p>\n
The university, which has approximately 16,000 students, proposed an investigation into all postgraduate degrees in law, business management, public administration and education at an extraordinary senate meeting on Monday.<\/p>\n
The degrees-for-sale scandal is believed to have taken place on the university’s expanded campuses in Kwa- Dlangezwa and Richards Bay, with the latest scam involving between 400 and 500 fake degrees for teaching qualifications.<\/p>\n
Citing an investigating officer, the Sunday Times reported that sources on campus said that that as many as 4,000 people had bought their academic qualifications from the university since 1996.<\/p>\n
Two university employees – an internal investigating officer and an examination official – were suspended in June for their alleged involvement in the latest scam. The investigating officer said that more than two individuals were being investigated.<\/p>\n
SAA board chairwoman Dudu Myeni was grilled in 2009 for claims that she had a BA degree from the university. Myeni later clarified that she was still studying towards the degree.<\/p>\n
In 1997, five staff members were suspended for allegedly accepting bribes to alter student records. It was reported that they made R260,000 for selling 15 fake degrees.<\/p>\n
10-years later, in 2007,\u00a0 80 students were de-registered from the university for not having matric certificates. It was alleged that the ‘students’ bribed university officials to obtain their entrance exams.<\/p>\n
A former student told the Sunday Times this week, that in 2007 and 2008, he had doctored the results of more than 1,000 students who had failed for a fee of between R500 and R5,000 per module.<\/p>\n
Read the full article in the 31 July 2016 edition of the Sunday Times.<\/em><\/p>\n Why you shouldn\u2019t waste your time with \u201cuseless\u201d university degrees in SA<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n How much it costs to get your degree at university in South Africa<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Name and shame degree frauds \u2013 Nzimande<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\nMore on education<\/h3>\n