University rocked by corruption arrests

At the centre of the furore, according to a report in The Mercury, is a senior academic, Professor Pumela Msweli-Mbanga (44), who is accused of taking R16 150 for assisting in the award of the degree to Nobulele Potswana (54), now a lecturer at the university’s Westville campus. Last year, Msweli-Mbanga, who was Dean of Management Studies, made allegations of sexual harassment against Vice-Chancellor Malegapuru Makgoba and Council chairman Vincent Maphai. These allegations were later found to be untrue by a tribunal headed by retired judge Alan Magid. At the same time, she was implicated in the award of an alleged fraudulent Master of Commerce degree to the university’s former CFO Kanthan Pillay. This was also probed but could not be substantiated. This year, the university appointed PricewaterhouseCoopers to conduct a forensic audit into these and other allegations, and it is believed that yesterday’s arrests were a result of an interim report handed to the university. The Mercury report not available online