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UKZN confirms Gordhan did complete pharmacy degree in 1973
A tweet by Africa Check dating back to 2016 began making the rounds again on Monday. The tweet had requested a response to a query regarding Pravin Gordhan's qualifications.
JOHANNESBURG - Speculation over an old tweet that has resurfaced questioning the tertiary qualifications of Public Minister Pravin Gordhan has been put to bed.
A tweet by fact-checkers Africa Check dating back to 2016 began making the rounds again on Monday. The tweet had requested a response to a query regarding Gordhan's qualifications.
@UKZN Please let us know when we can expect a response to our query regarding Pravin Gordhan's qualifications?
— Africa Check (@AfricaCheck) March 11, 2016
Gordhan's qualifications came into question at the time after a claim was made that then-finance minister Des van Rooyen, who only lasted a few days on the job, was the most qualified of the finance ministers former president Jacob Zuma had appointed during his term.
According to available information, Gordhan graduated in 1973 from the then-University of Durban-Westville (UDW) with a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree.
The institution was only established as UDW in 1972. Prior to this, Indian students, including Gordhan, studied at the University College for Indians, established in 1961.
Upon the establishment of UDW, students from the University College for Indians continued their studies at the newly formed university, which at the time only admitted Indian students.
UDW merged with the University of Natal in 2004 to create the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN). All records of previous students from UDW and the University College for Indians are now with UKZN.
The old tweet began gaining traction on Monday, with some accusing Gordhan of not possessing a post-matric qualification.
They are still making the degree
— Mpho@Za (@M3dInfo) July 7, 2019
The fact that they are not responding its either they are still cooking the result because he Pravin does not have qualifications if he had they will have released it long time ago.
— Ransley G Mhlari (@MhlariG) July 7, 2019
Maybe he's still studying, they want to respond after he graduates
— The Great Sizwe (@SizweThina) July 7, 2019
3 years no responce??? 🤔🤔 it's obvious there is no such
— Power2People (@IAmOtisJC) July 8, 2019
On Monday afternoon, Africa Check tweeted that UKZN had responded to the original query, confirming Gordhan's qualifications are legit. They have now updated the article to reflect this.
.@UKZN has confirmed that #PravinGordhan "studied and successfully completed the requirements for the degree Bachelor of Pharmacy in 1973".
— Africa Check (@AfricaCheck) July 8, 2019
We have updated our 2016 #factcheck to reflect this: https://t.co/HBCJGiHo4b https://t.co/2NoDRFoueM
"UPDATE: In July 2019 the University of KwaZulu-Natal confirmed that Gordhan “studied and successfully completed the requirements for the degree Bachelor of Pharmacy in 1973," the confirmation read.
UKZN also released a statement to this effect.
MEDIA STATEMENT
— University of KZN (@UKZN) July 8, 2019
8 July 2019
Confirmation of Qualifications: Pravin Gordhan graduated from UKZN pic.twitter.com/Hf4ClPEm1K
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