Was he not duped or hoodwinked into getting a dubious doctorate?
Following the social media debates that Prophet Walter Magaya’s UNISA doctorate is fake, we have gathered that maybe the cleric might have been duped as well.
The mixed reactions came amid his disqualification from the ZIFA presidential candidate list which was won by Nqobile Magwizi who won with over 70 percent votes.
Prior to the election, Magaya approached the High Court to stop the process citing that he wanted the minutes on how he was disqualified.
Magaya later lost the case before Justice Chitapi who requested him if had 5 O Levels which was a minimum required for one to participate in the elections.
However, after the court drama, it has emerged that his Doctorate which he claimed was from University of South Africa (UNISA) is not recognised by the South African university.
In an interview Timeout With Yvonne in April last year, the prophet said he was honoured by the university’s professors.
Furthermore, he asserted that he had also been awarded two additional Doctorates from universities in Britain and the United States.
“I respected UNISA, because they came and study what I was doing. They interviewed people about my work.
“I enjoyed it when I went to UNISA and my doctorate was given to me as accolades.
“UNISA came here and stayed for a month, analysed my projects, I went to SA and I received.
“The other one was a British University and United States one but I didn’t go to collect.”
However, in a surprising move, UNISA released a statement that they don’t Magaya’s name in their data base.
Below is the statement:
“Media Statement
Unisa refutes claims that Walter Magaya is a graduate or alumnus of the university
Approved for public release.
Date: Wednesday, 29 January 2025
The University of South Africa (Unisa) notes with serious concern information doing the rounds in the public domain as well as in a recent video circulating on social media, where it is purported that a certain Zimbabwean national, Walter Magaya, is a graduate or alumnus of the university.
Responding to a media query from a certain international media platform, the university confirmed that, based on the information provided by the said media platform, the system. of the university could not find any record showing that Mr Magaya was ever registered or graduated with Unisa.
This effectively means that Unisa does not have Mr Magaya either as a student or a graduate. Any certificate/s he produces which he claims to be from Unisa is/are therefore fraudulent.
Subsequent to the issuing of the media response, the university also came across a video clip in the social media domain, wherein Mr Magaya also claims to have received an honorary doctorate from Unisa.
The university has never conferred any honorary doctorate on Mr Magaya and strongly condemns this false claim.
We believe that conduct of this nature damages and brings our brand into disrepute and we reserve the right to take appropriate corrective action. Relevant authorities within the university have therefore been requested to take the necessary legal action in this regard.”
