The University of South Africa has dismissed a circulating message about Sarah Jane Trent’s qualifications, saying the institution has no record of her ever registering or graduating with a law degree.
Image: Phando Jikelo/ Parliament RSA
The University of South Africa (Unisa) has confirmed that Sarah-Jane Trent is a graduate of the institution, having obtained a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree in May 2013.
The clarification follows the circulation of false information on social media claiming that she did not hold a degree from the university.
In a statement released on Monday, the university said it “once again distances itself from the statement circulated on social media purported to be from the institution, which was denying that Ms Trent holds a degree from Unisa.”
Unisa described the online claims as a deliberate misuse of its resources and templates, stating that it “condemns in the strongest terms the manipulation and misuse of the university's templates and logo, which are in the public domain, to misrepresent its position.”
The university added that the relevant units within Unisa would be asked to “investigate the origins of the misleading statement and abuse of our resources; and take appropriate legal action.”
Officials emphasised the seriousness of the matter, warning that attempts to misrepresent the university’s position could carry legal consequences.
The issue arose after Trent, an attorney and certified fraud examiner, appeared before the ad hoc parliamentary committee last week.
Umkhonto weSizwe Party (MK Party) Member of Parliament (MP) Vusi Shongwe questioned her about her career, including whether she was a qualified lawyer.
She stated that she had obtained a law degree from Unisa, which had enabled her to work for Paul O’Sullivan.
Questions about her legal qualifications emerged during the committee’s proceedings into allegations of influence within South Africa’s criminal justice system.
Members of the committee raised issues related to her legal knowledge, including matters concerning the Independent Police Investigative Directorate Act.
During her testimony, Trent outlined her educational journey. She said she matriculated in 2002 and initially studied marketing.
“In 2003, I enrolled for a degree in Bachelor of Commerce, majoring in Marketing, at the University of Stellenbosch, which I did not complete.
''In 2004, I subsequently enrolled at Boland College, Stellenbosch, where I earned a 16-subject Merit Certificate in Marketing Management,” she said.
She added that she later decided to switch fields and pursue law.
“In 2006, I was in search of employment as I no longer wanted a career in marketing, so I decided to further my studies. In 2007, I enrolled at University of South Africa toward a Bachelor of Laws degree (LLB), which I completed in November 2012. I was conferred a Bachelor’s certificate on 13 May 2013.”
During the weekend, Unisa said it had received multiple inquiries about Trent’s qualifications.
While noting that it would not violate the privacy of any student, the university stressed the importance of relying on official communications.
“This message circulating online is fake. Please rely only on official Unisa communication channels,” it said.
hope.ntanzi@iol.co.za
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