UNISA’s acting VP approaches Hawks to look into smear campaign
19 April 2024
Dr Reshma Mathura, Unisa’s acting Vice Principal for Finance, has filed a criminal complaint with the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations (Hawks) to probe a conspiracy to falsely implicate her in criminality. Mathura, who is represented by AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit, was left with no alternative following the Unisa management’s complete disregard for her complaint about unsolicited payments made to her private bank account.
The Private Prosecution Unit has now addressed a letter to Dr Daniel Mosia, Chairperson of Unisa’s council, asking for his intervention to ensure Mathura’s complaint is investigated internally. The appeal to Mosia follows two letters addressed to Prof Puleng LenkaBula, Vice-Chancellor of Unisa, that have gone unanswered, save for a response seeking clarity on the Private Prosecution Unit’s status as Mathura’s legal representatives.
Each day that passes without a response from LenkaBula or the Unisa management reinforces the perception that Mathura is the target of an organised scheme to falsely incriminate her in wrongdoing and that management is content with an air of suspicion surrounding her. This much was made clear at a press conference on 17 April when Prof Romagoai Magano, Vice Principal for Institutional Development, referred to the allegations against Mathura but made no mention of her pro-active steps to inform her employer of what had happened and her efforts to have it investigated.
On 2 April, Mathura received notification of four unsolicited deposits of R330 each made to her private bank account. Within hours she had spoken to her bank and obtained the names of four people identified as having made the deposits. A cursory investigation revealed the names were listed as students awaiting NSFAS allowances. Mathura is responsible for authorising the disbursement of those funds. Coincidently, an anonymous whistle blower report was sent to Unisa accusing her of accepting bribes from students. Four depositor payment notifications were attached.
On 3 April, the Private Prosecution Unit sent a letter to LenkaBula informing her of what had happened and raised concerns of a conspiracy to have her ousted from her position. Another letter was sent on 9 April.
Barry Bateman, spokesperson for the Private Prosecution Unit, says more than two weeks and two letters later, the Unisa management has not responded. “Our office has now taken Dr Mathura’s complaint and concerns to the next level. We trust Dr Mosia will appreciate the seriousness of what is happening and how the failure of Unisa management to stand behind a senior manager is causing significant reputational harm. Dr Mathura is a diligent and committed employee who has always acted in the interests of the institution. Unisa’s deafening silence on this dirty campaign has shifted the cloud of suspicion intended for Dr Mathura to the institution’s own management,” concludes Bateman.
Issued by Barry Bateman, Communications Manager: Private Prosecution Unit, AfriForum, 19 April 2024
