Paul Kirk
One of Durban’s top municipal officials, the acting director of community and health services for the Unicity, is hanging tough, despite being exposed as having a fraudulent university degree. Now Arnold Shange may be dismissed from his job as Durban Unicity investigators add the final touches to their probe. He may also have to pay back his salary, which was inflated by his fake academic qualifications. University of Zululand records show Shange graduated with a B Juris degree in 1995 after 15 years of trying he first registered as a student in 1981. However, investigations by the Office of the Public Protector found that the degree was bought and not earned. The public protector found Shange was one of nearly 60 students that obtained their degrees through bribery and corruption.
Despite being subpoenaed to defend himself, Shange did not appear before hearings held by the public protector, who then ruled that Shange’s credits should be expunged from the record of the university. The effect of this would be to revoke Shange’s degree. The record of the public protector’s 1996 findings reads: “We are satisfied and we rule unanimously that Mr Shange did not pass the aforementioned courses and that as a result did not merit the awarding to him of the degree B Juris … and that further the degree which was awarded to him during the year 1995 be withdrawn.” However, despite this finding Shange did not remove his B Juris from his CV and obtained employment with the Durban Unicity in 1999. Because of an administrative error, Shange’s records were not removed or expunged from the university’s computer system. It was only when suspicious employees heard Shange boasting about how he bought his degree that a municipal inquiry was launched. The records of the public protector were searched and Shange’s secret was discovered. Asked to comment on the allegations, a shocked Shange said: “I do not want to say anything as I am now aware the municipality is investigating the matter. I don’t want to say anything.” Shange claimed that his knowledge of law was useful to the administration of his department. He said he was mainly an administrator and not a health professional.
Ken MacKay, director of the protective services department of the University of Zululand, said he was not in a position to comment about Shange’s degree.
Murray Stewart, head of forensic investigations for the Durban Unicity, confirmed a high-level probe was nearly complete. Stewart said after this probe was completed a disciplinary hearing could be called. Sources in Stewart’s department said it is likely legal action would be taken against Shange to recover his salary, which was paid on the basis that he held the qualifications he claimed to have.