UNISA Denies Giving Malawian Influencer Doctorate, SA Calls for His Arrest 

UNISA Denies Giving Malawian Influencer Doctorate, SA Calls for His Arrest. The University of South Africa (Unisa) on Tuesday denied conferring honorary doctorates on Malawian socialite Pemphero Mphande, Malawian musician Patience Namadingo and a certain Mansoor Sharif Karim in 2020, 2022 and 2023 respectively.

The institution said it became aware through social media posts and media enquiries that the three claimed to have received honorary doctorates from the institution.

Mphande posted on his X account on Saturday about the conferral of the doctorate at Unisa.

There was also a video from the ceremony.

For the record, the awarding of honorary doctorates at Unisa occurs through a strictly controlled process, with nominations and approvals handled through various governance structures of the university until final approval by the university council.

“Once such approval has been secured, the conferment itself is done at an open graduation ceremony of the university, in full view of those attending and presided over by a duly authorised official of the university, usually the chancellor or principal and vice- chancellor. Any claim of the awarding of an honorary degree which did not follow this process cannot be an official Unisa process.”

However Mphande maintained he was awarded a doctorate at the institution.

“If Unisa is denying this today, either they are a part of the scam or they too are being scammed,” Mphande said in a statement.

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This is not a graduation. This right here is a frauduation. Unisa must sue and open a criminal case. pic.twitter.com/Wy24Z4Dabf

— Africa Research Desk (@MightiJamie) November 7, 2023

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