The African National Congress (ANC) in the Eastern Cape is accusing the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) of seeking to discredit Premier Oscar Mabuyane.

This comes after Mabuyane successfully interdicted an SIU investigation into his University of Fort Hare qualifications, through an application in the Eastern Cape High Court.

Mabuyane is accused of having been fraudulently admitted and enrolled for a master's degree at the university, without having a prerequisite honours degree.

According to ANC Eastern Cape head of communications Gift Ngqondi, the organisation reaffirms its full confidence in the judiciary and in the upholding of the rule of law in South Africa.

“This judgment is a victory against bullying and abuse of power. The High Court re-affirmed our position that the investigation was irrational, unlawful, unreasonable, unfair and was a ploy to discredit comrade Mabuyane,” he said.

He added that the party was concerned about a lack of internal dispute mechanisms at the university, on matters that affect students and labour.

He revealed that the ANC tried to reach out to the university leadership to understand what the party believes is a targeting of its leaders.

The ANC maintains that the Higher Education Act provides for an investigation into affairs at a university and that the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology and Council on Higher Education initiates and oversees these investigations, not the SIU.

“We would also further implore that any further litigation should not be an attempt at abuse of court processes in order to continue this well-orchestrated agenda to dislodge comrade Mabuyane from his leadership responsibilities,” said Ngqondi.