Campus cheats banned from studies

Hundreds of students have been banned from studying at university for up to three years after being found guilty of cheating in exams.

At least 773 of the 944 students nabbed for misconduct at seven of South Africa's 23 tertiary institutions since January were involved in exam misconduct.

The University of Johannesburg confirmed that it had expelled 96 students for offences ranging from academic dishonesty to theft, fraud and assault. Some of the expulsions were fully or partially suspended.

According to figures released to the Sunday Times, universities that recorded a high number of cheaters include the University of South Africa (Unisa): 451; North West University: 153, including 89 part-time students; University of Johannesburg: 93; and Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University: 55.

A total of 37 students were also found guilty of fraud - including 18 at Unisa who had submitted falsified matric certificates. They were suspended from the institution for five years.

A Durban University of Technology student was expelled after brazenly forging the signature of an academic head so that he could be allowed to register on campus.

A further 24 students across the different campuses were found guilty of assault; 14 for plagiarism and 12 for damage to property.

Students found guilty of misconduct at Rhodes University are sentenced to "compulsory service" which could include working for the SPCA for 100 hours.

Unisa spokesman Martin Ramotshela said the university's intention was to correct students' errant behaviour instead of being punitive.

"Hence, the university does not expel students found guilty of transgressions but only metes out suspensions," he said.

Lacea Loader, spokeswoman for the University of the Free State, said those found guilty of misconduct faced fines of between R1500 and R4000 as well as a suspended expulsion of between one and five years and forfeiting credits for a subject.

North West University spokesman Louis Jacobs said sanctions for academic misconduct included a fine, warning or suspension from a residence.

But students were not the only ones to misbehave on campus - at least five of the 12 academics found guilty of misconduct at four universities were fired.

At Walter Sisulu University in the Eastern Cape, a senior lecturer was demoted after using pepper spray on a student, and another academic was fired for sexual harassment.