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The University of South Africa (Unisa) has firmly denied claims that Zimbabwean national and self-proclaimed prophet Walter Magaya is a graduate or alumnus of the institution. As the dust settles on this controversy, Unisa’s response clarifies that there is no record of Magaya ever being registered or having graduated from the university.
In a video circulating on social media, Magaya alleged that he received an honorary doctorate in theology from Unisa. Like a fish out of water, he found himself in hot water when his claims were scrutinized. Earlier this month, his National Diploma in Marketing, which he claimed was issued by Unisa in 2015, came under fire after he submitted it to the High Court of Zimbabwe to challenge his disqualification from running for the position of ZIFA president.
Reportedly, he was excluded from the race for lacking the five required O’ Level passes, but he argued that ZIFA’s rules allowed for “any equivalent educational achievement.” Ironically, he provided the National Diploma as evidence.
In response to inquiries about the authenticity of the information circulating on social media, the university confirmed that its system could not find any record of Magaya. This effectively means that Unisa does not have Magaya either as a student or a graduate; therefore, any certificates he produces claiming to be from Unisa are fraudulent.
The university also noted a video clip in which Magaya claims to have received an honorary doctorate. With a firm stance, Unisa stated, “The university has never conferred any honorary doctorate on Mr Magaya and strongly condemns this false claim.”
Additionally, Unisa believes that conduct of this nature damages its reputation and brings its brand into disrepute. As the saying goes, “A good name is better than riches,” and it reserves the right to take appropriate corrective action.