Minister of Higher Education, Science & Innovation Dr Blade Nzimande has welcomed the four-year investigation into allegations of “places for sale” at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) Medical School, and other corrupt activities, reports TimesLIVE. In a parliamentary reply to a question asked by the IFP on Nzimande’s position relating to the scandal, his department said it was understood the university had, pursuant to the investigations, suspended 21 employees, leading to resignations, disciplinary inquiries and dismissals. “Furthermore, 10 employees have been implicated.”
Nzimande will request a detailed report from the UKZN council on the steps and actions taken to address the findings of the investigation report, including appropriate criminal proceedings against those found guilty of serious misconduct and corruption, and to prevent the recurrence of the abuse of the institution’s admissions policy and processes into any programme of the university. “This should be completed within the next three months,” the department said.
Last month UKZN said the forensic investigation’s terms of reference were to probe: fraudulent and/or irregular admissions of students; the sale of exam papers; tampering with academic records; the provision of degree-complete certificates for students who had not completed their degrees; changing of marks on the system; and irregular allocation of student accommodation.
[link url="https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/2021-03-05-higher-education-minister-welcomes-ukzn-cash-for-places-investigation/"]Full TimesLIVE report (Open access)[/link]
See also MedicalBrief archives:
[link url="https://www.medicalbrief.co.za/archives/hawks-asked-probe-ukzn-med-school-corruption-claims/"]Hawks asked to probe UKZN Med School corruption claims[/link]
[link url="https://www.medicalbrief.co.za/archives/ukzn-on-cash-for-places-were-committed-to-transparency/"]UKZN on cash-for-places: ‘We’re committed to transparency’[/link]
[link url="https://www.medicalbrief.co.za/archives/arrest-of-senior-ukzn-staffer-involved-in-cash-for-places-investigation/"]Arrest of senior UKZN staffer involved in ‘cash for places’ investigation[/link]
[link url="https://www.medicalbrief.co.za/archives/ukzn-loses-legal-action-over-report-into-sale-of-medical-school-places/"]UKZN loses legal action over report into sale of medical school places[/link]
[link url="https://www.medicalbrief.co.za/archives/ukzn-gets-court-order-silence-corrupt-investigation-claims/"]UKZN gets court order to silence corrupt investigation claims[/link]
[link url="https://www.medicalbrief.co.za/archives/ukzn-bribe-scandal-med-students-must-turn/"]UKZN bribe scandal med students ‘must turn themselves in’[/link]
[link url="https://www.medicalbrief.co.za/archives/selling-places-ukzn-medical-school-probed/"]UKZN probes ‘corrupt’ selling of student places at medical school[/link]
[link url="https://www.medicalbrief.co.za/archives/secret-kpmg-report-finds-irregularities-ukzn-med-school/"]Secret KPMG report finds irregularities at UKZN med school[/link]
[link url="https://www.medicalbrief.co.za/archives/hawks-widen-investigation-sa-medical-school-places-sale/"]Hawks widen investigation into SA medical school ‘places for sale’[/link]