Niehaus lied over doctorate
2009-02-16 23:44
Brussels - Carl Niehaus did not obtain a doctorate in theology at the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands in 1999, as he professes to have done.
Niehaus resigned as ANC spokesperson last week after confessing to fraud that was exposed by the Mail & Guardian.
Since then it has also been revealed that he lied, among others about rental arrears for his villa in Midrand.
Niehaus claimed he obtained a doctoral degree in theology at Utrecht during his tenure as South Africa's ambassador in The Hague.
'No doctorate'
Following an enquiry, a university official spent most of Monday afternoon searching through the theology faculty's documents.
A spokesperson later called back, saying: "I can inform you that Mr Carl Niehaus had not obtained a doctorate in Theology in the period you mentioned."
Beeld enquired about the period 1997-2000, when Niehaus was Ambassador in The Hague.
When some articles in the press started referring to him as "Dr" Niehaus last year, a reporter from Die Burger asked him whether his title was Mr or Dr. "It really doesn't matter, but it's doctor," he said at the time.
He told another reporter he obtained the degree in 1999.
Gang-rape claim
Niehaus's CV on the LitNet website states he obtained his master's and "doctorate" in theology summa cum laude at the University of Utrecht while he was serving as Ambassador.
In the meantime questions are being asked once again about Niehaus's claim last year that he was gang-raped on the eve of his sentencing in 1983, reports Pieter du Toit.
Niehaus and his wife at the time, Jansie, were standing trial on charges of high treason.
According to him he was raped by more than 20 men and it "went on and on".
It was so bad that he couldn't climb the steps from the cells into the courtroom without the warder's assistance.
However, apart from Niehaus's version there is no evidence that he was indeed raped.
Forbidden to comment
Advocate Klaus von Lieres und Wilkau, attorney-general of the Transvaal Provincial Division at the time, said he wasn't aware of the matter: "If anyone had lodged a complaint of this nature with me, I would definitely have remembered it."
When Niehaus was confronted with the issue of the validity of his doctorate degree on Monday afternoon, he first said the newspaper should do its research properly, but then said the ANC had forbidden him to comment, reports Jan-Jan Joubert.
Further enquiries in the Netherlands indicate that Niehaus was known as "doctorandus", but definitely not as "doctor".
Professor Chris van der Merwe of the University of Cape Town explained that "doctorandus" is halfway towards a doctorate; a phase that has to be completed before starting a doctorate.
It is comparable to a master's degree, but it is definitely not a doctorate.