The University of South Africa (Unisa) has confirmed that controversial figure, Mogaile Mogashoa, has been arrested and is serving a six-month jail term.
This after he was found in contempt of a court order that barred him from making defamatory statements about the institution and its leadership.
The development follows a string of high court rulings against three individuals – Mogashoa, Mandisa Mashego and Simamkele Xani – whom the university took to task for spreading false and damaging allegations about Unisa and its officials.
Court interdict against Mogashoa
According to Unisa, Mogashoa repeatedly violated a court interdict prohibiting him from spreading false statements about the university.
These included allegations that the Unisa was operating irregularly and claims targeting Vice-Chancellor Professor Puleng LenkaBula and other senior managers.
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Unisa spokesperson, Professor Boitumelo Senokoane, the institution had taken note of the latest development regarding Mogashoa’s arrest and imprisonment.
He said Mogashoa was nabbed on Tuesday.
Unisa clamps down on spread of misinformation
Senokoane said the university hoped the judgments would send a strong message against the spread of misinformation.
“The university takes note of the latest update that [Mogashoa] has since been apprehended and is currently serving a six-month sentence in prison. This should be a lesson that you cannot make false and damaging statements about people and institutions without consequences. There are reputations and livelihoods involved and that cannot be taken lightly.” Senokoane said.
After Mogashoa allegedly continued making similar statements in violation of the order, the court issued a warrant for his arrest.
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The case forms part of a broader legal push by Unisa to clamp down on what it says were persistent campaigns of misinformation against the institution.
Defamation claim
In a separate judgment, the Johannesburg High Court found Mandisa Mashego guilty of defamation after she allegedly made baseless claims that Unisa was involved in a range of irregularities, including issuing fake degrees, allowing people to write examinations on behalf of others, and corruption.
The court ordered Mashego to pay R550 000 in damages to the university, with interest accruing at the prescribed legal rate from the date of demand until the amount was fully paid.
Meanwhile, former student Simamkele Xani was found in contempt of an earlier court order that barred him from publishing false statements about Unisa and its vice-chancellor.
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The Pretoria High Court ruled that Xani could face 60 days’ imprisonment or a R50 000 fine if he again breaches the interdict.
The court also ordered him to retract defamatory statements and issue a written apology to the university and LenkaBula, while paying the legal costs of the application.
In a related matter, the chairperson of Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, Teboho Letsie, also obtained an urgent interdict against Xani after he falsely claimed that Letsie had received an R82-million security tender from Unisa.
“While we remain committed to protecting legitimate whistleblowers, we will not hesitate to take action against individuals who fabricate allegations and tarnish the reputation of the university, its leadership and its community,” Senokoane added.
Unisa has indicated that it may take further legal steps should any of the individuals fail to comply with the court orders.
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