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
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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.
The university received numerous complaints after her appearance, as de Haas earned criticism for her conduct. UKZN has since released a statement clarifying the researcher’s role at the university.
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.
Source: Briefly News
