Spat over Wits prof’s credentials

A public spat over the credentials of Wits University professor and veteran journalist Anton Harber had Twitter buzzing.

Durban - A nasty Twitter spat on Tuesday night saw University of Witwatersrand’s journalism Head of Department, Anton Harber, being questioned on whether he has the credentials to be titled a professor.

The spat seems to have started when Maswele Ralenbona tweeted Sunday Times journalist Piet Rampedi and Anton Harber. Ralenbona asked the pair why he missed the launch of a new organisation Forum of Journalists For Transformation over the weekend.

Rampedi goes on to say: “Their public face is Anton Harber, who is introduced as the Wits journalism “professor”, even though he has no known PHD or even Masters Degree. He is probably the only professor in the world who supervises people who are three-times more qualified than him.

“The same person who, today, is being celebrated as an anti-apartheid stalwart when he presided over a lily-white newsroom at the Rand Daily Mail when black reporters were discriminated against and subjected to the authority of their junior white colleagues.”

Harber replied to the damning tweet saying: “Facts are wrong @pietramped #FJT. I was a junior reporter at the Rand Daily mail. I did no presiding”.

The Wits HOD then added: “How sad that #FJT should launch with @pietrampedispeech riddled with factual errors and wild accusations. Not inspiring.”

The Sunday Times political and investigative journalist then shot back asking the HOD: “What errors? You either have a PDH & Masters Degree or not. I am saying you have none. Or do you have then and where?

Rampedi then asked Haber to share his certificates pictures or those of his graduation. Harber replied, “I don’t. Have never claimed them. I am adjunct prof. That is the one and only fact you got half-right”.

The heated debate garnered massive attention on the social media site:

@Sentetse: Banna! Wits Professor of Journalsim @AntonHarber only has a BA degree? White Privilege must be nice!

Anyway, Anton Harber like Jacob Zuma can teach, President Zuma has over half a dozen honory Doctorates enabling him to teach.

— Bo Mbindwane (@mbindwane) December 2, 2015

@brodiegal: What does an adjunct professor of journalism accually do? Well, teach student to be fauctual journalist for one.

White twitter dragged us over Pallo Jordaan. Spirit of Mapungubwe has hit back with Anton Harber. Look at the ancestors!

— EmanuelJosiasSithole (@_Cde_George) December 1, 2015

@NoTolls: Nailing Anton shows how clueless an inexperienced you are? Start a

@clivesimpkins @Sentletse @pietrampedi @AntonHarber Hlaudi also said he is brilliant regardless of qualifications, will you defend him too?

— Ntokozo Dhlamini (@loksdhl) December 1, 2015

with a shoestring budget, with repressive security regime and then talk.

@julianrademayer: Hopefully @pietrampedi did a better fact-checking the SARS ‘rogue unit”story than he did in his rant attacking @antonharber.

IOL received the following comment from Harber: This is a non-issue. I have never claimed to have a PhD. I am an adjunct professor on the basis of 35 years of journalism experience. The position of adjunct professor is created to bring into the university people with professional experience and it is common in journalism and business schools around the world. For example, the Dean of Columbia U Journalism School, perhaps the most prestigious journalism school in the world, does not have a PhD.

Haber is the Caxton Professor of Journalism and Media Studies at the University of Witwatersrand. He graduated from Wits University, and began his career as a cadet journalist on The Springs Advertiser. 

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