Pretoria – The University of South Africa (UNISA) has denied conferring an honorary degree on Malawian socialite Phemphero Phande.
In a statement on Tuesday, UNISA said it “has become aware, through social media posts and media queries, that Malawian socialite Phemphero Mphande, Malawian musician Patience Namadingo as well as a certain Mansoor Sharif Karim claim to have received honorary doctorates from the university in 20220 2022 and 2023 respectively”
The statement added: “UNISA wishes to state categorically that it has not conferred any such degree on the trio and that any assertion to this effect is simply not true”.
These three individuals are also not among the candidates considered and approved for the awarding of honorary doctorates in 2020, 2022, and 2023.
The university said the three had never been nominated, considered, or approved for such honours at any period whatsoever.
Besides, UNISA said it did not award any honorary degrees in 2022.
“Furthermore, the certificates displayed by Messers Mphande and Namadingo respectively are definitely not UNISA degree certificates,” said the institution of higher learning.
