KZN prison boss to be stripped of Masters degree

The University of Zululand. Photo: @gembecusi

The University of Zululand. Photo: @gembecusi

Published Oct 25, 2016

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Durban - A high-ranking KwaZulu-Natal prison official will be stripped of his Master’s degree after it was found he had plagiarised his thesis.

The Daily News learnt last week that the University of Zululand had completed its investigation and the council was to sit on Saturday to deliberate on its findings.

On Monday, Unizul Registrar, Dewald van Rensburg, confirmed the decision.

“Indeed. Council resolved to revoke the degree,” he said.

Correctional Services official, Lawrence Zikhali, would have an opportunity to appeal the decision.

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.

At the time, Zikhali, acting area commissioner, Durban management area, insisted he was innocent, saying the claims against him were part of an internal, Correctional Services plot to drag his name through the mud.

Zikhali obtained his Master’s degree in Public Administration through Unizul in 2005, while Mbatha obtained his in the same discipline through the University of South Africa in 2002.

Mbatha’s research topic was “The Ethical Dimensions of Transparency in the Public Sector”, while Zikhali’s was titled “The Ethics of Transparency in the Public Sector”.

While the investigation by the university was under way, Zikhali resigned in March, citing personal reasons.

The department confirmed the receipt of the resignation letter at the time, which the Daily News had seen.

His resignation, however, was short lived after the alleged involvement of the department’s national commissioner, Zack Modise.

At least three insiders said Modise “shielded” Zikhali, and he was instructed to withdraw his resignation.

Following this withdrawal of resignation, in April the KZN regional commissioner Mnikelwa Nxele served Zikhali with a notice of contemplation of precautionary suspension pending the university investigation, said one insider.

This was followed by Modise’s letter to Nxele the next day directing him to withdraw the contemplation letter immediately, and in writing, the insider said.

The Daily News is in possession of Nxele and Modise’s letters dated April 28 and 29, 2016, respectively.

In his contemplation letter, Nxele called on Zikhali to show cause why he should not be placed on precautionary suspension pending the university investigation into allegations which, after receiving the Master’s degree, later elevated him to a number of promotions over other candidates.

On Monday, Modise confirmed knowledge of the letters and the investigation by the university. However, he said he would not be able to say what the next step would be since he had not received a formal report on the outcomes of the investigation.

“Once we receive the outcomes, internal processes would be followed,” he said.

Contacted for comment on the letters, Nxele said those were confidential and whoever passed them to the media contravened department protocol.

“All I can say is that this case undermines the integrity of this institution and the trust the people have. I’m aware of the final verdict of the university but I’m still awaiting such in writing. The onus is on Zikhali to come out and explain his case. If any member is caught up in something like this, I dare say that it might be necessary to authenticate other qualifications he might claim to possess,” said Nxele.

When he was contacted by the Daily News today, Zikhali was surprised that his Master’s degree had been revoked.

“They say they have revoked it? I am not aware of that,” he said.

Pressed further on the matter, he directed queries to his lawyer.

Zikhali’s lawyer, Steven Zibane, said they were not aware of the outcome of the university investigation and would approach it for a copy of the report before commenting.

Daily News

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