Former University of Cape Town Vice-Chancellor Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng has welcomed the Public Protector's ruling in favour of the institution on its decision not to grant a doctoral degree to a PhD student accused of plagiarism..
PhD student Adam Andani approached the Public Protector's office in 2019 after UCT did not accept his thesis on the grounds that he substantially plagiarised a former law student's dissertation.
Andani initially lodged an internal review against former vice-chancellor Dr Max Price, citing procedural irregularities in the appointment of a third examiner to evaluate the thesis as well as disparities in the third examiner's report.
He asserted that there were disparities which were overlooked by UCT's Doctoral Committee of Assessors to the Doctoral Degrees Board not to accept the thesis.
The matter was then reported to the Office of the Public Protector for investigation.
Acting Public Protector Advocate Kholeka Gcaleka said their investigation found that the allegations of irregularities on the part of UCT not to confer the PhD were unsubstantiated.
In a statement, the PP's office said it would have been improper for UCT to award the PhD to Andani while the examination of the outcome of this thesis did not comply with the required standard of proficiency. The institution was cleared of any wrongdoing.
Reacting to the PP's ruling, Phakeng shared with her followers on social media that the PhD plagiarism matter had been one of the matters that caused the fall-out between her and UCT's Ombud Zetu Makamandela-Mguqulwa.
"This is the case that caused the fall-out between me and the Ombud who hit back by arguing that I am a bully. Once again, I was correct. Call me whatever you like, but no Ombud has the authority to instruct any VC to pass any student who has plagiarised a PhD thesis.
"The student is a foreign national who argued that he cannot spend four years in South Africa and leave without a PhD. Imagine!!! No one should trust any Ombud who supports such!," Phakeng tweeted.
This is the case that caused the fall-out between me and the Ombud who hit back by arguing that I am a bully. Once again, I was correct. Call me whatever you like, but no Ombud has the authority to instruct any VC to pass any student who has plagiarised a PhD thesis.
The student…
In 2020, UCT Ombud, Makamandela-Mguqulwa labelled Phakeng "a bully".
Phakeng was later cleared on bullying allegations.
In February, Phakeng agreed to go into early retirement after reportedly agreeing to a R12 million settlement agreement to leave the institution.
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