UKZN Distances Itself From Mary De Haas Following Appearance Before Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee
- The University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) has responded to queries following Mary de Haas' appearance before Parliament
- Questions were raised about the violence monitor's title and whether she was indeed a professor or had obtained a doctorate
- UKZN has since released a statement clarifying whether de Haas was associated with the university or taught there
- An alumnus from UKZN reacted to the university's statement distancing itself from de Haas after her testimony
Source: Getty Images
Briefly News journalist Byron Pillay has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He spent 10 years working for the Northern Natal Courier before transitioning to online journalism.
KWAZULU-NATAL - The University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) has distanced itself from Mary de Haas following her appearance before Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee on 18 November 2025.
De Haas testified before the committee that is currently probing allegations made by Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. The KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner made allegations of corruption and political interference in the criminal justice system.
The university received numerous complaints after her appearance, as de Haas earned criticism for her conduct online. UKZN has since released a statement clarifying the researcher’s role at the university.
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UKZN clarifies that de Haas is not an employee
In an official statement posted to X (formerly Twitter), the university clarified that Ms de Haas was not an employee of the university and was not a professor at UKZN.
“She retired from the then University of Natal in 2002, where she served as a Senior Lecturer and Programme Director in Social Anthropology.
"Her current association with UKZN is limited to the title of Honorary Research Fellow in the School of Law. This is an honorary position and does not involve employment or teaching responsibilities,” the statement read.
UZKN also noted, for context, that the University of Natal merged with the University of Durban-Westville in 2004 to form the University of KwaZulu-Natal. This merger happened after de Haas had already retired from the then University of Natal.
“While she has collaborated with members of the Navi Pillay Research Group, she also conducts independent research, which is entirely separate from the university, and this includes work on violent crime and policing,” the statement also noted.
Speaking exclusively to Briefly News, an alumnus from UKZN reacted to the university's statement. The alumnus was one of the many who raised concerns with de Haas' purported involvement with the university.
"I’m glad the University shed light on her involvement with them because her purported association was concerning," the person said.
De Haas' qualifications questioned by Leigh-Ann Mathys
De Haas' qualifications were also queried by Leigh-Ann Mathys. The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) Deputy Secretary General stated that de Haas did not hold a doctorate but actually received an honorary doctorate from Rhodes University.
De Haas admitted that she did not have a doctorate and was not a professor.
“People call me that. I’m not a professor. I did not get an official professorship because I haven’t finished the PhD that would have gotten me one,” she said.
Source: Twitter
De Haas questions Lieutenant General Dumisani Khumalo's qualifications
Briefly News reported that de Haas testified about the Head of Crime Intelligence, Lieutenant General Dumisani Khumalo.
The university professor questioned his ability to lead the crime intelligence unit, alleging that he may have had little to no training.
De Haas raised questions about his qualifications as she testified before Parliament's Ad Hoc Committee.
Source: Briefly News
