Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane should resign following his degree fraud scandal

15 May 2023

ActionSA has written to Eastern Cape Premier, Oscar Mabuyane, to immediately resign following allegations that he fraudulently obtained his master’s degree from Fort Hare University.

The degree fraud allegations reinforce ActionSA’s belief that Premier Mabuyane is not fit to serve as Eastern Cape Premier as he has perpetually used his office for personal gain instead of serving the poorest in the province which have to battle high unemployment and a lack of service delivery.

ActionSA, a party which values ethical leadership, already marched to the Eastern Cape Office of the Premier in April to highlight the true state of the province under Premier Mabuyane’s leadership. The degree fraud scandal is just another failure since Mabuyane’s appointment.

A forensic report, obtained by News24, concluded that Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane's master's degree was undeservedly and fraudulently obtained through a bogus research proposal that was put together for him by the academic staff at Fort Hare University.

It now appears that University of Fort Hare department of public administration offered a “made to order” degree vending service to well-connected politicians who abused the public purse to secure their self-aggrandising phoney qualifications.

It is not the first time that Premier Mabuyane’s unethical conduct has exposed his lack of integrity expected of a leader of a provincial government. In January, we bemoaned the fact that the Premier managed to evade investigation into how he improperly benefitted from money that was misappropriated from the Winnie Madikizela Local Municipality.

The University of Fort Hare, which boasts iconic struggle heroes and acclaimed African leaders as alumni, has also been marred by corruption, maladministration, murders and assassination attempts of its vice chancellor and his deputy.

ActionSA reiterates its belief that the basis of honourable leadership is ethical conduct, integrity and accountability and Premier Mabuyane should therefore do the right thing and resign.

He is clearly not the leader the people of the Eastern Cape deserve and need, and lacks the probity to restore and maintain the dignity of the Office of the Premier.

Issued by Athol Trollip, ActionSA Eastern Cape Chairperson, 15 May 2023