SEDIBENG.-The Vaal University of Technology (VUT) is embroiled in a degree scandal and its Council says it is investigating the serious allegations.

The university said that it has noted recent reports alleging a “degree syndicate” at the institution, as well as suggestions that there were delays in acting on a whistleblower submission reportedly made in August 2024.

Widespread media reports allege that a VUT employee has been arranging fraudulent qualifications, mainly for Congolese students, for payments since 2018. The allegations stem from a whistleblower who reportedly alerted senior officials through several emails, urging the university to investigate B.Tech students who had not completed undergraduate studies at VUT.

The allegation/s are said to date back to 2018.

“Please investigate all these people, especially those registered for B.Tech only, who did not study at VUT for undergrad. There are so many currently doing B.Tech in marketing, business management … and those who have graduated in the past years,” the whistleblower is said to have written.

The whistleblower, believed to be a VUT graduate of Congolese descent, also claimed that the “fixer” (of the degrees) has secured more spaces for students who are meant to register for B-Tech programmes at the university next year.

In a statement issued on Friday, VUT said the Council only became aware of the whistleblower report after a media enquiry on November 13 this year. A subsequent Sunday World article on November 30 prompted the Council to request a full report from the vice-chancellor ahead of a special Council meeting set for December 12.

VUT’s Head of Corporate Communication, Sibusiso Nkosi, said that following correspondence from Manamela, dated December 3, the Council’s Executive Committee convened an urgent meeting on December 4.

An update report was prepared and submitted to the minister on December 5.

The committee has since commissioned an independent forensic investigation, expected to conclude within three months. It will probe the allegations, assess how the whistleblower report was handled, and evaluate vulnerabilities in admissions, registration, certification, and records systems.

Meanwhile, Higher Education Buti Manamela is said to have given the VUT management an ultimatum to account for the alleged year-long delay in acting on the allegations.

Nkosi said that Council has also written to the minister to clarify the governance context, outlined the steps taken to date, and reaffirmed the university’s commitment to accountability, integrity, and the protection of its academic reputation.

The matter will be considered further at the December 12 Council meeting, Nkosi added.

“Protecting the integrity of VUT qualifications, restoring stakeholder confidence, and ensuring full accountability are paramount. The Council remains committed to a comprehensive and methodical inquiry that will support evidence-based and accountable decision-making. We urge all stakeholders to exercise restraint when commenting publicly on this sensitive matter, given its implications for our students, alumni, parents, funders, employees, and their families. Council will issue further updates as necessary as the investigation progresses.”