UKZN gives update on “Operation Clever” forensic investigation

THE University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) has set the record straight following a recent court decision regarding the university’s internal forensic investigation, referred to as “Operation Clever”, in response to recent media reports in this regard.

The four-year investigation came about following allegations of bribery to gain placement at UKZN’s Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine.

In April 2018 businessman, Visham Panday, stated he became aware of corruption at the university where placements at the Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine were being offered in exchange for bribes.

The investigation has involved no less than 31 employees, and resulted in suspensions, disciplinary inquiries, resignations, and dismissals.

In addition, students and external parties were also implicated.

Speaking on behalf of the university, Normah Zondo, acting executive director of Corporate Relations, said the university instituted a wide scope forensic investigation after due consideration of all the allegations at the time.

These included the fraudulent and/or irregular admission of prospective students at UKZN, omission of investigation and/or reporting of fraudulent admissions, the sale of exam papers, the manipulation and/or tampering of academic records, the provision of degree complete certificates for students who were not in fact degree complete, the changing of marks or student statuses on the system and the irregular provision and/or allocation of student accommodation on admission of students.

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“Insofar as the criminal prosecutions are concerned, it is pertinent to record that UKZN laid criminal charges in 2017 with the SAPS. Subsequent to the appointment of an investigative team by the state, UKZN has at all material times co-operated to the full extent with the investigating officers and National Prosecuting Authority. The investigations are accordingly in the hands of the Hawks of the SAPS, as they have been for a considerable time, and UKZN is informed that they are still ongoing,” said Zondo.

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“UKZN wishes to set out the following in light of the negative, and often incorrect, reporting of this matter in the press. The KPMG report, commissioned in 2016 by previous Vice-Chancellor and Principal Dr Albert Van Jaarsveld, focused on allegations of corruption involving admissions to the Nelson Mandela School of Medicine, as well as colleges and university operations. The University at the time un­cov­ered a crim­i­nal syn­di­cate work­ing together with a small number of UKZN em­ploy­ees to ad­mit stu­dents to the med­i­cal school. The internal investigation was concluded, and the matter was handed over to the State criminal prosecuting authorities in 2017, including the Hawks, for further investigation and possible criminal prosecution. Criminal prosecutions are not within the powers of UKZN,” said Zondo.

Zondo said the total cost of the investigation to date is R73 560 829, which comprised security services to preserve and protect evidence pertinent to the investigation, security services to protect the investigator, including accommodation at a safe house, necessary “covert operations” and forensic specialists.

“The lead forensic investigator was provided with a safe house and bodyguards as a result of threats to her life. An extensive audit was done, involving inter alia the SAPS, into the threats and they were found to be credible justifying her protection. The university argued in court against the release of the report as it would compromise and prejudice the investigator’s safety and would also divulge the identities of people implicated in the investigation as well as any involvement of possible syndicates, thereby compromising the investigation,” she said.

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