Ex-student disputes contempt allegations and pushes for a deeper probe into Unisa and its vice-chancellor.
The former University of South Africa (Unisa) student publicly accusing vice-chancellor Professor Puleng LenkaBula of corruption, abuse of power and falsifying qualifications has dared her to lay a contempt of court charge.
Through his lawyers, Simamkele Xani has denied the contempt charge, saying the university’s legal action was a “clear abuse of the university resources and intentional misrepresentation of the court order”.
He argued that Order 4 and Order 8 were not granted by the court and that the court order was only limited to a TikTok video.
Ex-student disputes contempt allegations
According to Sebako Attorneys on behalf of Xani, the court had clearly said it could not grant the order.
“We do not know whether this was intentional and deliberate from your part,” Sebako Attorneys’ Lebogang Sebako said.
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“Please withdraw this misrepresentation. If not, our client advises us that he will approach the Legal Practice Council for a complaint of misconduct.”
Last week, The Citizen reported that Xani issued an ultimatum to the university council to act against LenkaBula or face legal action.
The university rejected the claims and pointed out that Xani had been ordered by the court to refrain from publishing damaging allegations against Unisa and LenkaBula.
Unisa rejected ex-student’s claims
Instead, he has since instructed his lawyers to approach both Minister of Higher Education Buti Manamela and President Cyril Ramaphosa to extend the terms of reference of the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry to include a probe into Unisa’s affairs.
“It is our view that it is where your client will have an opportunity to clear herself. Our client denies every allegation contained in your letter.
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“The state institutions copied here must institute and arrest [LenkaBula] and everybody mentioned in our letter dated 26 November 2025,” Sebako said in his letter.
According to the letter, the issue of irregularity in the appointment of LenkaBula ran deep, even before her appointment when the late professor Muxe Nkondo was “unprocedurally and unmorally” removed from his position.
Sebako submitted in the letter that Manamela was specifically requested to institute an investigation into the conduct of the Unisa council in appointing LenkaBula as vice-chancellor.
Letter to minister
According to the letter, the personal credential verification certificate showed that LenkaBula did not have a masters degree from St Andrew’s College in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, but an honours degree.
“This equally applies to her CV,” it said.
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