Johannesburg - The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) says it will consider all legal options available to it following an interim interdict on an investigation concerning Fort Hare University.
This comes after Eastern Cape Premier and ANC chairperson in the province, Oscar Mbuyane, was granted an interdict to stop the SIU from probing his academic affairs.
The order was handed down by Judge Thandi Norman in the Bhisho High Court on Tuesday.
The order indicated that the SIU was interdicted from enforcing Proclamation R 84 of 2022, authorising it to investigate allegations of maladministration in the affairs of the university on matters relating to Mabuyane.
However, in a statement, the unit said that it was happy that the order did not interdict or suspend the institution’s investigation in its entirety.
The SIU said the probe relating to Mabuyane was interdicted pending the determination of Part B, which deals with the merits of the case as far as the admission into and awarding of a Master’s degree.
“We are also optimistic that we will present our case when Part B of this matter is heard,” it added.
The statement reads: "The unit said it was encouraged by Paragraph 66 of the judgment which states that:
“Where there is evidence that implicates unlawful conduct in so far as the Master's degree is concerned, nothing is stopping the SIU from preparing a motivation as it did with the earlier Proclamation and request the President to proclaim that the registration for Masters degree, too, should be investigated.
"Furthermore, the SIU has noted that paragraph 83 which states:
“Although the applicant contends that the SIU was malicious, there is no evidence of such malice."