Popular musician Patience Namadingo and social media influencer Pemphero Mphande are facing embarrassment and ridicule on social media platforms following the University of South Africa (Unisa) statement which says the university did not confer the two with honorary degrees.

In a statement Unisa has issued available on its website, it says it has just learnt through the media claims that the two and a "certain Mansoor Sharif Karim claim to have received honorary doctorates from the university in 2020, 2022 and 2023 respectively."

"These three individuals are also not amongst the candidates considered and approved for the awarding of honorary doctorates in 2020, 2021 and 2023," the statement reads.

But Namadingo has hit back at the university, asking why it has taken them three years to distance themselves from the honorary degree.

Mphande, writing on his face book wall says earlier this year, he was contacted by individuals who have been awarding honorary Doctorates on behalf of UNISA and that they felt they could recognise our work.

"I was recognised at a well patronised ceremony alongside other individuals from Zimbabwe, Botswana, Congo, South Africa and Nigeria as per photo below.

"This ceremony was organised and conducted by the same individuals that have been doing this for years

"If UNISA is denying this today, either they are a part of the scam or they too are being scammed.

"Pemphero Mphande and others are not scammers, criminals or otherwise. If anything they are victims of a scam that UNISA can explain better. I believe in my work and its impact. It is valid and evident to all," he says.

To this effect, until UNISA can explain how this has been allowed to happen for years, I reserve any further comments on the matter.

But the university says all those who are in the pictures conferring him and others the honorary degrees are not officials from the university.