The University of South Africa (Unisa) has announced it will take legal action against controversial Zimbabwean preacher Walter Magaya, founder of the Prophetic Healing and Deliverance (PHD) Ministries, over claims that he holds an honorary degree from the institution. The university has categorically denied Magaya’s assertions, stating that he was never registered as a student nor awarded any qualifications by Unisa.
The storm surrounding Magaya’s academic credentials began when he submitted a photocopied and certified diploma in marketing to the High Court of Zimbabwe. This was part of his bid to overturn his disqualification from the race for the presidency of the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA). Magaya had argued that although he did not possess an Ordinary Level qualification—a prerequisite for the ZIFA presidency—he held a higher qualification from Unisa.
However, Unisa has since debunked these claims. In a statement published on its website, the university said, “The University of South Africa (Unisa) notes with serious concern information doing the rounds in the public domain as well as in a recent video circulating on social media, where it is purported that a certain Zimbabwean national, Walter Magaya, is a graduate or alumnus of the university.”
The statement continued, “Responding to a media query from a certain international media platform, the university confirmed that, based on the information provided by the said media platform, the system of the university could not find any record showing that Mr Magaya was ever registered or graduated with Unisa. This effectively means that Unisa does not have Mr Magaya either as a student or a graduate. Any certificate/s he produces which he claims to be from Unisa is/are therefore fraudulent.”
Magaya’s troubles deepened when a video surfaced on social media in which he claimed to have received an honorary doctorate from Unisa in recognition of his philanthropic work. Unisa was quick to refute this claim, stating, “The university has never conferred any honorary doctorate on Mr Magaya and strongly condemns this false claim. We believe that conduct of this nature damages and brings our brand into disrepute and we reserve the right to take appropriate corrective action.”
The university has since instructed its relevant authorities to pursue legal action against Magaya.
The controversy has cast a shadow over Magaya, a charismatic preacher who commands a significant following in Zimbabwe. His claims of holding three diplomas in Marketing and Theology, as well as an honorary degree from Unisa, were previously presented to the High Court. However, last week, the court dismissed his application to be reinstated in the ZIFA presidential race, stating that his case lacked merit.
Unisa’s findings were unequivocal. “There is no trace of Magaya on our records,” the institution stated.
This is not the first time Magaya’s academic credentials have been called into question. Several Zimbabwean publications previously ran stories claiming that Magaya had been awarded a PhD by Unisa as far back as 2017. However, these claims have now been debunked by the university itself.
Meanwhile, the ZIFA presidential race has concluded, with businessman and football administrator Nqobile Magwizi emerging as the new president. Magaya’s bid for the position, which was marred by controversy over his academic qualifications, ultimately proved unsuccessful.
As the legal battle looms, the spotlight remains firmly on Magaya and his disputed credentials. Unisa’s decision to pursue legal action underscores the seriousness with which the institution views the matter, as it seeks to protect its reputation from what it describes as “fraudulent” claims.
For now, the self-proclaimed prophet finds himself at the centre of a growing scandal, with his academic legacy under intense scrutiny.
