- The EFF is calling for newly sworn-in Minister of Public Service and Administration Noxolo Kiviet to be blacklisted by all institutions of higher learning.
- The University of Fort Hare reported her to the SIU for allegedly having not met requirements to register for post-graduate degrees.
- Kiviet has denied any wrongdoing and vowed that her qualifications were obtained lawfully.
The EFF is calling for the immediate resignation of newly sworn-in Minister of Public Service and Administration Noxolo Kiviet.
This comes after an exclusive News24 article that revealed that the University of Fort Hare has reported Kiviet to the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) for obtaining honours and master’s degrees without an undergraduate degree.
The allegation against Kiviet is contained in an affidavit submitted by the university to the SIU as part of its ongoing investigation into an alleged degree scam at Fort Hare.
The EFF has also called for the 60-year-old former Eastern Cape premier to be barred from registering at any institution of higher learning.
“The corruption of the ANC knows no bounds, and this is further reason for all the people of South Africa to join the national shutdown on 20 March 2023, to uproot the massive corruption of the ruling party, that has filtered into academia,” the party said in a statement on Monday.
READ | Fort Hare reports Minister Noxolo Kiviet to SIU over her 2 degrees
It described the allegation as shameful and shocking, and accused Kiviet of disgracing not only herself, but undermining the integrity of the University of Fort Hare and jeopardising its public standing in a society that questions the legitimacy of mainly African institutions of higher learning.
“She has offended the academic fraternity and spat in the face of millions of young people who work hard for their qualifications and make meaningful contributions to research and the development of knowledge,” the EFF stated.
The DA has announced that it was preparing a Promotion of Access to Information Act request to obtain proof that Kiviet committed degree fraud at the university.
While Kiviet denied any wrongdoing during an interview with News24, the DA accuses the minister of fraudulently enrolling at the respected Eastern Cape university.
ALSO READ | SIU to investigate alleged degree fraud at University of Fort Hare
“It appears that Kiviet is following in the footsteps of Murunwa Makwarele, the disgraced former Cope councillor who was caught out for submitting a fraudulent document to claim that he was not an unrehabilitated insolvent shortly after being elected mayor by the ANC and EFF," said the DA spokesperson on public service and administration, Leon Schreiber.
UDM leader General Bantu Holomisa publicly called on Kiviet to be arrested.
ANC Eastern Cape provincial secretary Lulama Ngcukayithobi said: "We have been in contact with Minister Kiviet after seeing a ... social media [post] around this matter. We are not convinced that she received fraudulent qualifications or she participated in any fraudulent activity in order to obtain these qualifications."
The party said they trusted the minister's account.
"She has been a reputable leader of our organisation and led our government with integrity wherever she has been deployed... the process of SIU should be given time and space to conclude its work."
Ngcukayithobi added that the ANC would issue a comprehensive report after the SIU had completed its investigation.
Kiviet did not respond immediately to News24. Her comments will be added once received.