SIU and Ramaphosa dealt a blow as court interdicts Mabuyane investigation

Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane has won his court bid to interdict the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) from interrogating his qualifications as part of a broader investigation into corruption at the University of Fort Hare.

High Court Judge TV Norman ruled the elite investigating unit cannot enforce President Cyril Ramaphosa‘s Proclamation 84 of 2022, “in so far as the SIU has taken steps or intends to take steps that are directed at the applicant [Mabuyane].”

Norman also ruled that each party is to bear its legal costs.

ALSO READ: Ramaphosa and EC Premier Oscar Mabuyane to face off in court over fake qualifications

But this is not the end of the road for Mabuyane. The Eastern Cape Premier is also seeking to declare the entire SIU probe unconstitutional in Part B of his application.

Mabuyane, who is accused of registering for a master’s degree without completing an honours degree, is believed to have faked his way into a PhD in public administration with the help of tainted University of Fort Hare (UFH) professor, Edwin Ijeoma, and his secret team of ghost writers.

ALSO READ: SIU hits back at EC Premier Oscar Mabuyane over Fort Hare investigations

SIU proclamation

Ramaphosa tasked the SIU with interrogating maladministration and corruption at UFH, which has since become synonymous with scandals and assassinations.

Mabuyane, however, insists he earned his master’s degree fairly.

Reactions…

Netizens were mostly shocked as news of Mabuyane’s court victory broke.

But mostly, they praised the legal prowess of his lawyer Advocate Tembeka Ngcukaitobi, who has earned a name for himself as a talented litigator in some of the country’s most high-profile cases.