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Dr BL Sibiya, who was conferring the “doctorates”, poses for a photo with the executive mayor of Vhembe District Municipality, Dr Falaza Mdaka (middle), and his personal assistant, Mr Mabasa (right).

Mayor Mdaka´s honorary "doctorate" under scrutiny

 
The mayor of the Vhembe District Municipality, Cllr Falaza Mdaka, was recently awarded an honorary doctor’s degree by the Omega Global University, but many people have asked the question whether it is worth the paper it’s written on.

The Witbank-based “university” awarded the honorary degree to Cllr Mdaka for “his perpetual effort to make the lives of other people better.” The ceremony took place a fortnight ago and other people who have been honoured in this way include well-known choral master Shalati Joseph Khosa of Phalaborwa, Tinyiko Elphas Khosa, who started New Era College years ago, and Gabriel Ngomane, a businessman from Mpumalanga.

The term “honorary doctorate” normally refers to a very prestigious title conferred upon an outstanding individual by an institute of higher education. In South Africa, this is normally awarded by one of the registered universities. In the University of Johannesburg’s Charter for Honorary Degrees, an honorary doctoral degree is described as:

“… an academic award that entitles the honoured person to bear the doctoral title honoris causa in recognition of his/her outstanding academic contributions that do not however meet the requirements set in the University Rules or the Act for the conferment of a doctoral degree as a result of the successful completion of a recognized programme of study of the University.”

In certain cases, doctoral titles are also conferred upon people based on their contributions to the community. Again in the case of the University of Johannesburg, it is stated that such an award “… is based on relevant outstanding intellectual contributions and/or relevant outstanding contributions to public life.”

The universities in South Africa are also very conservative in as far as the awarding of such degrees is concerned. Recipients of such degrees include former president Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. The charter also stresses this fact by stating: “A conservative awards policy is followed, in order to emphasize the extraordinary and inherent value of the awards.”

The Omega Global University is not listed as a registered South African University. On their website, this institution invites people to apply for an honorary doctor’s degree. It states that “Omega Global University offers honorary Doctorate degrees to deserving candidates based on their life experience.” To qualify for such a degree, you also only need “at least 5 years of work or life experience relevant to (the) desired major.” Interested parties can also apply online for such a degree.

News - Date: 19 February 2010

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