/ 14 August 2018

Marcus, Van Schoor to clear their names in UJ theft scandal

Jaco van Schuur
Professor Roy Marcus, a former chairperson of UJ’s council, and Jaco van Schoor — the former vice-chancellor of finance have launched an application to rescind the high court order and allow the matter to proceed to trial. (Image: The Citizen)

Two former University of Johannesburg (UJ) executives have denied allegations that they stole more than R14-million from the institution, and they are taking the matter to court.

Professor Roy Marcus, a former chairperson of UJ’s council, and Jaco van Schoor — the former vice-chancellor of finance — are opposing the application for damages which the university brought against them in the Johannesburg high court.

READ MORE: Former UJ execs ordered to cough up the money

In an affidavit submitted by UJ, the university detailed how Marcus and Van Schoor allegedly used fraudulent invoices to channel money intended for UJ’s projects (one of which was solar geyser installation) to companies linked to them.

Marcus and Van Schoor’s legal team, Clyde & Co, told the Star newspaper that “there is no basis whatsoever for a conclusion that they stole money or in any way acted unlawfully.”

According to their legal representatives, neither Marcus nor Van Schoor were in court when the order was granted, which they explain means that the high court did not “have the benefit of our clients’ version on oath nor did it hear argument from our client’s counsel”.

The pair have launched an application to rescind the high court order and allow the matter to proceed to trial.