- Professor Sizwe Mabizela described the prosecution of Karyn Maughan as "frivolous and vexatious".
- Mabizela said Zuma's court application was a flagrant abuse of court processes.
- Maughan was this month honoured among the 50 distinguished alumni of the university's school of journalism.
The "frivolous and vexatious" private prosecution of News24 journalist Karyn Maughan by former president Jacob Zuma is a desperate attempt to bully, intimidate, harass and silence one of the best legal writers in the country.
This is the view of Rhodes University's vice-chancellor, Professor Sizwe Mabizela, who did not mince his words when he openly declared his support for Maughan - alumni of the university's school of journalism.
Mabizela made the statement during his keynote address on Friday, which was at the fifth of six October graduation ceremonies currently underway at the 1820 Settlers Monument in Makhanda.
Zuma wants Maughan and senior State prosecutor, advocate Billy Downer, jailed.
The former president claims Downer unlawfully leaked his confidential medical records to Maughan in August last year.
Maughan and Downer have each filed an urgent application, to ask the court to scrap the private prosecution.
Their applications are expected to be heard one after the other in December, while the central prosecution case has been postponed to February 2023, pending the finalisation of the other applications.
The case is being handled by the Pietermaritzburg High Court. It has sparked condemnation and has been described as a move to suppress media freedom.
Speaking in front of a packed hall at the Guy Butler Theatre on Friday, Mabizela said:
He believed Zuma's application will fail.
He added: "Frivolous and vexatious court proceedings that are without merit have been instituted against her. Such flagrant abuse of the court processes is bound to fail, and it will fail. We stand with Karyn."
Mabizela said the Constitution protected the right to media freedom, which was critical for the health of constitutional democracy.
On 5 October, the university's school of journalism celebrated 50 years since its establishment.
The school marked the milestone by honouring 50 distinguished alumni, including Maughan, who graduated with a Master's degree in 2003.
She was given an award at a gala event held in Cape Town earlier this month.
Maughan is one of the most respected senior journalists in South Africa.