Durban – The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Correctional Services suspended its Durban area commissioner, Lawrence Zikhali, after the University of Zululand revoked his Master's degree.
The department has also laid charges of fraud and corruption against him at the Prestbury police station.
Captain Nqobile Gwala, provincial police spokesperson, confirmed the charges.
The university investigated Zikhali last year after the Daily News reported that he had plagiarised his Master's thesis.
Zikhali maintained his innocence and claimed internal divisions led to the investigation into the authenticity of his qualification.
The university council wrote to the department and Zikhali’s lawyer, Steven Zibane, in October, informing them it was revoking his degree after they found he had plagiarised his thesis.
The Daily News has a copy of the letter addressed to Zibane.
Senior managers in the provincial office allege the national commissioner, Zack Modise, was “shielding” Zikhali from suspension.
They alleged that when the regional commissioner, Mnikelwa Nxele, initially served Zikhali with a notice of contemplation of precautionary suspension pending the university investigation, Modise wrote to Nxele the next day directing him to immediately withdraw this letter.
A senior manager questioned why Zikhali was treated differently.
“People have been overlooked for promotion because (Zikhali) was believed to have the qualifications and experience,” he said.
Another senior manager said Zikhali had been promoted at least twice after graduating in 2005.
“He has been promoted to deputy director at the MediumA centre in Westville in 2010, area commissioner in Ncome Prison in 2013, and was promoted to Durban area commissioner,” he said.
Zikhali’s qualification was investigated in February after the Daily News reported that parts of his research paper were strikingly similar to a work by Dr Sifiso Mbatha.
Zikhali obtained his Master's degree in public administration through the University of Zululand in 2005, while Mbatha obtained his in the same discipline through the University of South Africa in 2002.